


A Different Beginning

by Hathor_girl



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drama, Gen, Tok'ra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 16:36:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 36,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4027093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hathor_girl/pseuds/Hathor_girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Jolinar took Jack as host instead of Sam?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this prompt: Jack as host to Jolinar, but she jumps into Sam while in the cell to escape. And so they will believe Jack when he says he is himself and that Jolinar is Tok'ra. 
> 
> ~ is internal speech
> 
> bold is symbiote speaking with symbiote voice

 ~They'll never let you go. Snake!~ Jack hisses at his uninvited 'guest'.

**~Then we will both die. The ashrak will execute me - and you with me.~**

~Assrack?~

~ **It is nothing to make fun of. An ashrak is a highly trained assassin.~**

~My people will stop him. We're safe - except from the NID.~ Jack mentally grimaces.

**You are overconfident! An ashrak is trained for this! He will not stop. Ever! He will find us, and he will kill us.~**

~Then give my people some information that'll convince them to move us! Tell them how to find him!~

**~I cannot tell you how to find him. I do not know his face. I told you this! I cannot risk giving your people any other information.~**

~You won't! Because you're a damn Goa'uld!~

~ **Silence!** ~ Jolinar rose and started pacing, trying to get some of the anger and irritation out of her body. She usually never paced, but the situation was grating on her nerves. She had taken an unwilling host!

~Yes, you have, and I hope to hell it bothers you - even though I don't understand why it would. Snake! Goa'uld!~

~ **I...did not mean to think that out so you could hear it. I must be more distressed than I thought. I am not used to having to guard my thoughts, nor of having an antagonistic host.~**

~Antagonistic? Why the hell do you think you'll get when you just take people like that?~

The door opens and Sam enters. Jolinar assumes a straight position with her hands clasped behind her back. ~ **Now be silent so I can concentrate on your underling.~**

~She is my second in command, not my underling!~

~ **Is that not the same?~**

~Well...we don't call people underlings here! She is a Captain.~

Jolinar scoffs. ~ **A minor matter of semantics.~**

Sam approaches the cell, where Jolinar is standing and looks at her. "So... we are going to talk. You are going to tell me who you are and why you are here."

" **You must let me go."**

"Not going to happen. If you agree to leave your host, we can talk."

**"You do not understand."**

"Then tell me."

Jolinar stares at her silently for several moments, then sits down on the bench in the holding cell.

Sam sighs and pulls a chair up to the cell.

~Tell her something! You said the ashrak would kill us otherwise!~

**~I cannot risk telling your people anything. They would not understand. I must leave. Then I will find another host, and let you return.~**

~Right! Because that's what Goa'uld do!~

~ **No, Goa'uld do not do that, but I am not Goa'uld.~**

~Of course you are!~

**~You do not understand.~**

Something in his...her? voice makes Jack hesitate. It is also strange that the symbiote is talking to him. Goa'uld did not do that. ~Okay, by all means. Tell me then, if you're not Goa'uld what are you then? Because you sure as hell seem like one!~

~ **Yes. Biologically I am Goa'uld, but** **I belong to the Tok'ra. We are the Goa'uld resistance. Also, 'she' would be a more appropriate address than 'he'.~**

Goa'uld Resistance! That fazes him! That is  _not_  what he has expected.

~Tell Carter!~

~ **We are hated by the Goa'uld. Our existance is and must remain a secret as much as possible. Our survival depends on our ability to hide, and to blend in.~** She looks at Sam. " **Let me go."**

Jolinar stands and walks up to the bars again.

~Idiot!~

" **Let me go through the Stargate. I will find another host and send your friend back to you."**

Sam rises also. "Right. Wait, you can do that? I mean, you can leave a host without killing them?"

" **Yes. It is possible, but not easy. I could die, but I promise I will try."**

~Tell her about the ashrak!~

"Why didn't you save the Nasyan man then? You killed him to take O'Neill instead, so you could infiltrate our base!"

Jolinar takes a deep breath, and Jack feels to his surprise that he... _she_  feels sorrow.

**"The Nasyan man died because his wounds were beyond my natural abilities to heal. That is why I left him."**

"Okay, then why were you there to begin with? I mean, hiding out like that among villagers doesn't exactly seem like what your people usually do."

~Tell her!~

Jolinar continues to ignore Jack. "O'Neill's mind would be intact. He would be like he was before."

Sam shakes her head. "I can't trust you."

**"I could have killed you and many others when you stopped me from going through the Stargate."**

"You didn't want to die. That's why you didn't."

**"It would not have killed me. I am too valuable."**

Sam looks unhappy. "Right. Which is exactly why we'll never let you go. You can just as well start talking." She turns and walks towards the door.

" **I have done nothing to harm you. But you would not let me go even if you did believe me."**

~Don't let her go without telling her about the ashrak! Tell her about the...Tok'ra.~ Jack urges.

~ **Then you try!~** Suddenly Jolinar bows her head and 'pushes' Jack forward.

He finds himself in control, and almost falls from the surprise.

"Carter! Stop! Don't go! There's something you need to know!" Jack exclaims.

Sam freezes just as she is about to knock on the door, and she turns.

~ **Careful what you tell her!~**

"There is an assassin coming to kill me!"

"What?"

"Jolinar says there's an assassin on his way! Also, she says she's Tok'ra."

His eyes flash as Jolinar grabs control again. ~ **I told you not to tell her this!~**

"Colonel? Uh?" Sam hesitates.

Jolinar sighs. " **I am Jolinar of Malkshur. O'Neill is correct, an assassin is coming to kill me."**

"Why?"

" **That is of no concern for you, but you _must_ belive me! He  _will_  kill me - and O'Neill."**

"You're safe in here - and you're not going anywhere, so if this is a trick..."

" **It is not. I request to speak to the Jaffa."**

~Teal'c, his name is Teal'c. Not 'the Jaffa'.~ Jack points out.

Sam hesitates, then leaves.

 

  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story archived at <http://tokra.fandomnet.com/viewstory.php?sid=528>


	2. Chapter 2

The door opens and Teal'c enters. ~ **Now be quiet so I can concentrate on what the Jaffa says.~** Jolinar insists. 

~Teal'c, his name is Teal'c. Not 'the Jaffa'.~ Jack repeats.

Jolinar ignores him. " **Teal'c."**

Teal'c assumes the hands-behind-back position and looks cooly at them.

"You have requested my presence?"

**"Jaffa... _Teal'c_ , you must convince the humans to let me leave."**

"They will not let you go."

**"They are impressive. The Tau'ri have become very powerful in the time since the Goa'uld reign here. Certainly the System Lords will not allow this to go unchecked. I can provide the humans with information that can help them defend against the Goa'uld."**

~And we beat the crap out of Apophis. Us. Humans!~ Jack taunts.

"They are more powerful than you know. Already, a Goa'uld attack on Earth has been averted." Teal'c says.

**"Then a more powerful assault is already being planned."**

"They are not fools. They believe you are here to plant a seed of that attack." Teal'c says, as he approaches the bars.

~He sees right through your deceptions!~ Jack points out. ~Just stop it!~

~ **I have spoken no deception. I am not here to harm you.~**

~Right!~

~ **I told you, the Tok'ra are against the Goa'uld! We would never harm you to help them!~**

~Then tell Teal'c!~

Jolinar sighs and takes a step forward, closer to Teal'c. **"Not all Goa'uld are the same. There are a few that oppose the System Lords and their ways. You must have heard of the Tok'ra."**

Teal'c is not intimidated and does not move. "Every Goa'uld seeks power for his own reason and would betray his own brother to achieve it."

**"Some seek power for a greater purpose. Not every Goa'uld is an enemy to the people of this planet. The Tok'ra are real, no matter what Apophis has told you."**

"I have yet to meet one."

**"You have now. I am Jolinar of Malkshur."** Jolinar tells him. **~So? Happy now?~**

Teal'c stares in surprise at Jolinar.

~Wow, he seems to have heard of you!~ Jack observes, surprised.

~ **Of course.~**

Teal'c turns around and leaves, saying nothing else.

~That clearly didn't help! Maybe you should try ask for Daniel - he's usually more open to believing unbelievable stuff.~

Jolinar sighs and goes to sit down on the bench. ~ **It is of no use. They will not believe me, they will not let me go. The ashrak _will_ find me, and then he will kill us about. I apologize.~**

~You _apologize_! What?~

~ **My presence will lead to your death. One of our highest rules is that we always protect our hosts, and do all we can to keep them healthy. I will fail when the ashrak kills us both. The best I can do is try to keep the pain from you as long as possible. I am truly sorry.~**

Jack doesn't say anything for a while, being more shocked at this than anything else - even her statement she is a member of a Goa'uld resistance. Could it be true? Could Goa'uld be this different?

 


	3. Chapter 3

Jolinar had spent the next hour or so in silence, resting on the bench with her eyes closed. This meant that Jack also could not open his eyes, of course, and at first this extra proof of someone else controlling his body had left him seething - then panicky.

Jolinar had merely released some calming chemicals into the bloodstream, and he had relaxed. It had been an odd, wrong feeling, but it had worked nonetheless. He didn't like the calm imposed on him, though.

He had spent the time thinking about what Jolinar had said. He had made several attempts to read her mind, but that had failed. He didn't think she had read his, but he knew there was no way to tell - and no way to stop her if she wanted to. He hated that, hated she had control of his mind, so much more than anything else, much more than the fact that she had control of his body.

~ **You can relax. I will not read your mind unless it is absolutely necessary.~**

~And yet you just did!~

~ **You were 'screaming', mentally. I have been doing my best _not_ to listen to your thoughts for some time!** ~

~Then tell me how to hide them!~

~ **It is really stressful having a host who does not wish to share with you!~**

~Well who's at fault here?~ Jack 'scoffs'. ~It's not like I invited you in, you know!~

**~I know, and I am sorry. I have already told you so, when we talked of this earlier.~**

You also said you could leave me. Well when are you going to do that?~

~ **When will your people make me go? I need to leave this place in order to find another host - I do not assume someone will just walk in here and volunteer!~**

Jack 'snorts'. ~No that's not gonna happen!~ He sighs. ~And as for letting you leave? Oh, probably never. They won't trust you, and since I guess you can pretend to be me and say whatever, I don't think they're going to trust me either.~

~ **Then we will both die when the ashrak comes.~**

~Have a little faith in my people's ability to stop him.~

~ **As I said, he is a highly trained Goa'uld assassin. They will not be able to stop him. Our only chance is that they let me go.~**

~Well that's just too bad!~

Jolinar looks up as the door to the room where the holding cells are, opens. ~ **That is the one you call 'Daniel'?~**

~Yes.~

~ **Of all of them, he is your best friend. Perhaps he will listen.~** Jolinar sounds hopeful.

~Let me talk to him!~

Jolinar hesitates. ~ **He will not believe it is you.~**

~Let me worry about that.~

~ **All right.~** Jolinar bows her head and pushes Jack forward.

Jakc is happy he sits down when the change in control happens, because otherwise he suspects he might have fallen. He stands and walks up to the bars.

"Hello Daniel."

Daniel stares at him. "Jack?" He shakes his head. "No, Teal'c told me I couldn't trust you. You're the Goa'uld trying to trick me."

"No I'm not, Daniel. You _know_ me!" Jack sighs, and considers what to say in order to convince Daniel. "Listen, there's a lot to explain, and it'll take a while, but it's vital you listen. Vital for my survival. Okay?"

Daniel frowns. "I'll listen, but I can't promise I will believe you."

"Sure, thought so, but pull up the chair anyway."

~ **Careful what you tell him!~**

~I don't have any of your precious secrets, so I can't tell him any, remember? I _will_ tell him about the ashrak, though, if that's okay with you?~ Jack asks, sarcastically.

Jolinar hesitates. ~ **By all means. Talk to him. Convince him, but please do not take too long. The ashrak is most likely already on his way here.~**

~Paranoid much?~ Jack gives Daniel a wry smile. "Sorry about that - Snaky is being chatty."

~ **Snaky!~** Jolinar sounds outraged, but leaves him to talk to Daniel in his own way. It is their best chance to get out of this alive.


	4. Chapter 4

When Jack had told Daniel as much as he knew about the situation - Jolinar, the Tok'ra, and the ashrak coming - Daniel just stared at him.

"You're not believing me? Or you're not believing I _am_ me?" Jack asks.

"I, uh, I think I believe that you're you. And frankly, I think I believe your story too. It's just too outrageous _not_ to be true! I doubt _any_ Goa'uld would come up with a story like that!"

"Which, I guess, means there's reason to suspect that explanation." Jack sighs. "No, I don't mean you should, I'm just trying to see it as I would. If our roles were reversed."

Daniel nods. "I understand. I...need to go talk to Hammond. And Sam and Teal'c."

"Sure. Go - but please hurry. Jolinar thinks this ashrak guy could be coming soon."

"I'll tell them to increase the guards."

"Do that - though Jolinar seems to think he'll get through anyway, and I guess it could be difficult since we don't know how he looks like...and that he could just grab anyone." Jack shakes his head.

"Yeah, there's that..." Daniel looks unhappy, but tries to smile reasuringly. "We'll fix this, Jack. _All_ of it."

He leaves, with Jack and Jolinar staying in the cell, silent but each secretly wondering if they will get out of this alive.

* * *

It had been almost two hours, and no one had been to see them. Jolinar had briefly shown Jack how to hide his thoughts from her - well, stop them from being broadcasted too 'loudly' at least. Other than that, she had been silent, brooding over something or maybe just planning.

Regardless, the inactivity was making Jack restless. Jolinar had left him in control after he had talked to Daniel, and he had spent part of the two hours pacing the cell. He got the impression it was annoying Jolinar, and that gave him an odd satisfaction. At least at first, but it didn't remain entertaining.

He then spent some time thinking about the situation, and about the Tok'ra. He didn't know if he believed they were that different from the Goa'uld, but he was beginning to suspect it was not a trick. She was being too different from how he thought a Goa'uld would be, and what would she gain from leaving him in control? It was clear his pacing was driving her crazy, and his questions and comments were grating on her too. He knew she could take control and suppress him, so the fact that she didn't told him that what she said about the Tok'ra were at least partillay true.

Unless she wasn't doing it out of a philosophical belief, but necessity. Perhaps she had some sort of defect that stopped her from suppressing her host like other Goa'uld?

But then, that didn't sound very likely, and Jack was actually a lot smarter than he let on. He knew that the statistics would not favour him ending up with one of the few Goa'uld with such a defect. If any existed at all, which he doubted. They would probably have been killed a long time ago.

That left the other option - Jolinar was speaking the truth. The Tok'ra were real, and biologically like the Goa'uld, even if they had made a conscious, moral decision to behave differently.

He suddenly realized something - these Tok'ra would have to have the same technological knowledge as their... cousins? If so, then they could be a mighty ally for Earth. If only he could convince them... if only he could convince his own people, which didn't seem very likely.

Of course, this ashrak would probably kill both him and Jolinar soon - Jolinar certainly seemed convinced he would get through any security that was put up.

He laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all. Here Earth might actually have found someone that really knew the Goa'uld from inside, and was technologically advanced - and then it would probably all be for nothing just because people were unable or unwilling to take a chance.

Admittedly, he would have had a hard time believing it himself, but he would be damned if he wouldn't do his best to convince people to listen. Particularly since it was his ass on the line as well.

~Jolinar?~

~ **Yes?~**

~Assuming we get out of this alive - _and_ doesn't end up in a NID dungeon...~

~ **That sounds pretty unlikely, as things stand right now.~**

~Shut up and listen!~

~ **By all means.~** Jolinar sounds amused more than anything. ~ **What, then?~**

~Would your people be willing to ally with Earth?~

~ **Ally?** ~

~Yeah, you know. Common enemy and all that.~

Jolinar hestates for a long time, while she actually thinks it over. ~ **I can see what you mean, but I am not so sure the Council will. Not all of them, at least.~**

~The Council? That's the head honchos of your kind?~

~ **The head honchos? Ah, the leaders, yes, they are.~**

~Dreary bunch? Not open to new ideas?~

~ **That would probably be an apt description, yes.~**

~Ah, just like here, then. That's too bad.~ He falls silent.

~ **I agree with you.~** Jolinar suddenly says. ~ **Your people have some unique skills which could complement ours in some situations. The Tok'ra are much more advanced than the Tau'ri, but we are few and cannot afford to take more direct action. There are missions that would benefit from cooperation - in addition, it would be advantageous if my people and yours know of the other, and so do not take action against each other when we accidentally meet.~  
**

~Right - that too.~ Jack frowns. ~You really mean it? You think it would be a good idea?~

~ **Yes. However, I warn you. I am considered... less than traditional, and I have a reputation for not doing as the Council would prefer.~**

~You're a rebel?~ Jack laughed. ~That figures, I guess. Just my luck.~

~ **More than you may know!~** Jolinar sounds rueful. ~ **What I did - taking a host against his will - is considered one of the worst crimes among the Tok'ra. I panicked and mistook your action as offering, but that is no excuse. The fact that I was once a Goa'uld, does not make it easier.~**

Jack snorts. ~Offering! How could you think that!~

~ **I panicked and did not think clearly. I am not proud of my actions, and I apologize.~**

~Your 'error' may get both of us killed!~

~ **I know.~** Jolinar sounds very guilty.

~It's really a crime?~ Jack asks after a long time.

~ **Yes. I may be punished severely, should I survive.~**

~Hm.~ Jack says, noncommittally. ~What do you mean, 'was once a Goa'uld~. Weren't or aren't you all?~

~ **Biologically, yes. However, most Tok'ra were born by one queen who had already changed and become Tok'ra. I - was born Goa'uld.~**

Before Jack can answer that, the door to the cell block opens again, and Teal'c, Sam, and Daniel enters.

 


	5. Chapter 5

~What? What does that even mean?~ Jack asks. ~You're more like a Goa'uld than the other Tok'ra?~

~ **I...hope not, though there are those who accuse me of that. This situation will surely bring more support to their cause.~** Jolinar sighs.

~Let's talk about this later. My team wants to talk, and from the look on their faces it's urgent.~ Jack rises from the bench he had sat down on a moment before, and walks to the bars. "Hi, guys."

"Hi Jack. Assuming you're Jack," Daniel adds.

"Hey, don't give me that! I thought you'd decided to believe me?"

Daniel nods. "I have. Mostly." He gives Sam and Teal'c a sideways glance.

"He does seem much like Colonel O'Neill, but the Goa'uld are cunning." Teal'c says.

"Teal'c..." Jack rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. No way to know. I get it."

Teal'c smiles a little. "In fact, I feel quite certain you are, in fact, Jack O'Neill."

"Thanks, Teal'c." Jack smiles. "Carter?"

"Teal'c says he has heard stories about these Tok'ra. I guess I do believe they are real...and maybe that Jolinar is one of them. It wouldn't make much sense for him... _her?_ to make all that up. I doubt a Goa'uld would do that," Sam admits. "So, yeah, I kinda believe you. I'm not sure Jolinar isn't having some effect on what you say, though. Even unconsciously."

Jack sighs. "I know. I'm compromised, and you won't believe me, not really, until she's out of me."

Sam looks uncomfortable, but nods. "Yeah..." She takes a deep breath. "That's not important right now. We do believe Jolinar when she says there's an ashrak on the way, and Hammond has agreed to ramp up security."

**~Let me talk to them!~** Jolinar demands.

~Sure.~ Jack agrees, surprised she even ask. Well, sort of asks. He dips his head, and Jolinar take control.

" **The ashrak will get through your security measures. Let me go."**

"I'm sorry, we can't do that," Daniel says, looking kind of taken aback. They all do, still not used to hearing Jolinar speak through Jack.

"Isn't there _anything_ you can tell us that would help us stop him?" Sam asks.

"It is in your own interest to share this information with us," Teal'c adds.

Jolinar rolls her eyes. " **I know that. Unfortunately, I do not know who he looks - as I have already told you. Most likely he hid among the Nasyans. Is there not one of them that is unknown to the others?"**

"I think they'd said that, if it was the case, but couldn't he just have, uh, switched host? Like you did." Daniel says.

Jolinar nods, sighing. " **Y** **es, he could. To be honest, I cannot even know he took a male host. All I can say is that it is likely the host is young, strong, and in good shape.~**

~That's a lot of the Nasyans," Sam remarks. "Listen, for him to even enter the mountain, he first have to get through the checkpoint at the entrance. They won't just let through anyone. He needs to have credentials, and behave correctly. He also needs access cards to even use the elevator."

" **The ashrak has means to fool the security guards. A hara'kesh - or even to some degree a kara'kesh - can be used to confuse a human and cause them to forget what has happened or remember differently. He could then easily _take_ an access card from one of the guards, and no one would stop him."**

"A hara'kesh? Kara'kesh?" Sam asks.

"A kara'kesh is the word used for a ribbon device," Teal'c says. "I have no knowledge of the hara'kesh is."

" **It is a small, ring-like weapon, used almost exclusively by the ashraks. It has many of the same abilities as the kara'kesh - the 'ribbon device' as you call it - however its range is more limited. It is intensely painful to be exposed to, and used mainly for executions or torture. The ashrak will absolutely own one of these."**

~Nasty.~ Jack observes.

"But it's no larger than a ring?" Sam asks. "So it won't be easy to detect."

" **Correct."**

Sam looks unhappy, but nods. "I will talk to General Hammond and have more guards stationed directly outside this door. Even if the ashrak, um, _mesmerizes_ some of them, he won't be able to get to all of them at once, will he?"

" **No, he will not. He is however well trained in Goa'uld martial arts, very strong, and very fast. They may not be able to stop him regardless."**

"I shall remain in here." Teal'c says. "If there is commotion outside, I have time to intervene while the ashrak fights with the guards."

"Okay - I'll hurry and talk to Hammond about the extra guards, and then I'll get back here too." Sam decides.

"There's another thing - the NID." Daniel reminds them.

Jolinar bows her head, and Jack takes control.

"Let's worry about those idiots later, okay?"

"Agreed," Sam says.

She and Daniel hurries out to talk to Hammond about more guards, while Teal'c stays behind to guards Jolinar and Jack.


	6. Chapter 6

~ **And so it happens. I apologize for all of this,~** Jolinar tells Jack, when they hear commotion in the corridor outside.

~What? What's happening? You think it's the ashrak?~

~ **I can sense him.~** Jolinar takes control as the door opens. " **Teal'c. The ashrak comes."**

"I am aware." Teal'c says, standing even more at attention with his staff weapon ready.

~Hey! Not without asking!~

~ **I apologize.** **Goo** **dbye, Jack. I shall attempt to protect you to the best of my abilities.~** Jolinar sounds sad and apologetic.

~No! Stop that talk about dying!~ Jack insists, staring through eyes now in Jolinar's control. A man enters through the door. ~I intend to live, and so should you! That guy doesn't look so terrifying and Teal'c can easily take him.~

**~I fear not.~** Jolinar just says, and looks on in worry as Teal'c steps up and stands in the way of the ashrak.

"Jolinar is under my protection. I am Teal'c of Chulak. You will leave."

The ashrak snorts. **"Kree, Jaffa. Surrender and leave now, and I shall not kill you."**

~Arrogant much?~ Jack observes.

The ashrak throws Teal'c before he can activate his staff weapon, and Teal'c lands with a surprised expression on the floor. He is not down for long, and uses his staff weapon to hit at the ashrak while jumping to a standing position.

Then the Jaffa and the ashrak clash in earnest, beginning a fight where mere humans would have been incapacitated immediately.

Jack mentally winces at seeing his friend take such a beating, but the ashrak is not getting away free either.

~ **You friend is an impressive fighter. Most Jaffa would not last this long against an ashrak,~** Jolinar observes, clearly awed. ~ **It is unfortunate we have no weapon with which to aid him...~** Her gaze falls on the chair outside the bars. ~ **But I suppose we can improvise - the guards will be here soon, but not soon enough to help Teal'c. Or us.~** She grabs the bars of the door with one hand and one of the bars of the cell with the other, ignoring the blaring alarm triggered as she crosses the laser beams. She rips hard, and the door opens.

The two men fighting in the room doesn't even notice, too absorbed in their fight.

~You could escape the whole time?~

**~And go where? Guards would catch me before I left the room!~** She snatches the chair and unceremoniously smashes it over the head of the ashrak while he is grappling with Teal'c.

The ashrak is briefly stunned from the blow, and that is all Teal'c need to get the upper hand. He and the ashrak crash to the floor, with Teal'c on top, having a strangle-hold on the ashrak.

Jolinar grabs the staff weapon and activates it. " **Move aside, Teal'c!"**

Teal'c jumps aside and she is about to fire on the ashrak when the door opens and Sam and Daniel runs inside, followed by a large number of soldiers, filling the room.

"We'll take over from here," Sam tells them. She points her weapon at the ashrak on the floor.

~Kill the bastard! Otherwise NID gets him and I don't trust him not to get away!~ Jack tells Jolinar.

~ **I agree.~**

"Put down the weapon!" one of the soldiers, a Major, insists. He points his M5 at Jolinar.

" **No - the ashrak must die!"** Jolinar exclaims as she fires on the ashrak who is only just getting up from the floor. She hits him in the back of the head, and he falls to the ground, dead.

"Surrender immediately!" the Major shouts.

Jolinar stares at him and flashes her eyes, but she deactivates the staff weapon and throws it aside. It clatters on the floor.

~Better raise your hands too,~ Jack remarks.

Jolinar does as Jack tells her, raising her hands in the air.

* * *

~Back behind bars...~ Jack grumbles.

~ **At least we are alive - I had not expected this. We must thank your team, Teal'c in particular.~**

~Yeah, they did good, didn't they?~ Jack smiles proudly and sits down on the bench. He is back in control.

~ **They did indeed. What will happen now? Will the NID still come for us?~**

I don't know.~ Jack hesitates. ~Probably,~ he admits. ~Damn Maybourne. I guess we can hope they'll spend some time examining the dead ashrak, so maybe that buys us some time.~

~ **Possibly, though if they want a live symbiote to examine - and experiment on - then likely not for long.~**

~Besides, you shot the snakehead in the neck, so I guess there might not be that much to examine. Of the ashrak himself, I mean.~

~ **It will have damaged him, of course, that is why he died so immediately. They can still examine his corpse - it will not have been disintegrated, if that is what you are implying.~**

~Nah, I guessed not.~ Jack sighs. ~I'm hungry. Starving, in fact. Shouldn't they feed us something? We've been in here for hours, and we haven't gotten anything except water since we were thrown in here the _first_ time!~

~ **It is your people, so you would know better than I. I just assumed they were trying to weaken us before interrogation.~**

~Hammond wouldn't order that. Maybourne might, but we're not in his clutches yet.~ He looks up as the door opens and Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c enters. "Hi, guys!" He smiles as he smells food. "Finally! We're starving in here!"

"Sorry, Jack. It all got a little crazy, with the ashrak and everything." Daniel says.

Jack nods, looking hungrily at the cart with food. "What's that? Today's stew?"

"Yeah, we couldn't get them to bring you something else on quick notice, so it's just from the mess hall." Sam says. "Some kind of beef stew with mashed potatoes. Tastes okay, actually, even if it doesn't look fantastic."

"Right now I don't care. I'm so hungry it tastes heavenly!" Jack smiles.

"Um, stand back, sir." Sam looks a bit embarrassed. "So we can open the cell door."

"I understand." Jack shrugs.

They wheel the food into the cell, then lock it up again when they are out.

Jack sits down to eat the stew, bread, and salad.

~ **It is acceptable.~** Jolinar remarks, as Jack takes a long drink of juice.

~Surprisingly, yes. Helps being hungry, I guess." Jack says. After a few moments he looks up at his team who are waiting outside the cell door, looking somewhat awkward. "Sorry. Where's my manners?" He frowns. "Teal'c - are you okay?"

"I am well, O'Neill. The ashrak was a stronger and more skilled opponent than any other I have battled, but he did not harm me greatly, and my symbiote is healing me."

"That's great," Jack says, relieved. "Um, Jolinar reminds me to thank you guys. She thought our goose was cooked, and I can't say I liked the odds either, but you got the damn bastard."

"It was you - or Jolinar, I assume - who killed him." Teal'c remarks.

"Yeah - about that. Sir - I'm afraid Maybourne isn't happy."

"Good." Jack smiles as he shovels more food into his mouth. "Just like I like it!"

"I agree." Sam smiles a little, before growing serious again. "The problem is that he's demanding to have you shipped to NID's lab."

Jack grimaces. "When?"

"Uh, tomorrow," Daniel says.

"Don't give up, sir. Hammond is trying to come up with an excuse to keep you here," Sam tells him, trying to cheer him up.

"Maybourne is without honour!" Teal'c says. "I do not understand why your government has given him so much power."

"You and me both, Teal'c," Jack says, sighing. "Politics."

"We'll keep you up to date," Sam promises, before she and the others of his team leaves.

Jack leans back against the wall for a moment, thinking about the situation. ~What do you think?~ he asks Jolinar.

~ **Your people will not let us go through the Stargate. I assume they will also not give me a different host - and that would just move the problem to someone else. I am sorry.~**

~We'll think of something. I'll be damned if I'm going to let someone like _Maybourne_ get to me!~

~ **Agreed. I am also not willing to give up. We did, afterall, just survive an ashrak's attack. Getting away from your NID should be easy compared to that.~**

Jack snorts, but nods. ~That is for later. There is more food. If you don't mind I'm going to stay in command to eat it.~

**~I do not.~**

Jack picks up the spoon and returns to his food, for a short moment longer pushing away the thoughts of his future.


	7. Chapter 7

" **I will _never_ tell you _anything_ that might endanger my people!" ** Jolinar exclaims, hotly.

They had been interrogated for several hours already, Maybourne and the other interrogators switching between threats and insults as they demanded she tell them what they wanted to know.

"You will tell us what we want to know, snake!" Maybourne hisses.

" **Never! You will have to kill me first!"**

"That can certainly be arranged, but I assure you, you will not enjoy the process! Neither will your host, whom you have claimed to care about!" Maybourne scoffs. "Clear proof that was a lie! The Tok'ra are obviously _just_ like the Goa'uld!"

Jolinar rolls her eyes. " **That tactic does not work on me. Any suffering my host and I experience are your fault. Besides, if it comes to that, I can kill us both.** "

"Right. No Goa'uld would do that."

" **I told you. I am not Goa'uld. Did you listen to anything I said, or only when it fits your preconceptions?"**

"Filthy snake!" one of the other two interrogator exclaims. He is a middle-aged man named Volk.

"If he's not prepared to tell us anything useful, we should bring him with us and let the doctors and scientists take their turn. There's a lot they can learn if they have a live symbiote to play with," the third interrogator says, throwing Jolinar an evil glance.

Jolinar just looks at him, coldly. His name is Major Richards.

Richards frowns at her, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He goes to the table and picks up a cattle prod.

~Let me talk to them!~ Jack demands. ~Preferrably _before_ he uses that thing on us!~

~ **They will not believe it is you... and I can block the pain from that primitive torture implement. It is nothing compared to a pain stick.~**

~Maybe, but I'd like to say something anyway!~

~ **As you wish.~** Jolinar dips her head, giving Jack control.

Jack looks up and walks as close to the bars as he can without setting off the alarm. He looks threateningly at Maybourne and the two others. "Do you practice being such an idiot, or does it come naturally?"

~ **Jack...I'm not sure that helps...~**

"What!" Mayboure stares at him, shocked, then furious. "That's so typical for the Goa'uld. Too arrogant for their own good!"

"You're a fool, Maybourne. I'm not Jolinar - and she isn't a Goa'uld. But I suppose your brain isn't able to grasp any new concepts..."

Maybourne scoffs. "You claim to be the host! Hah!" He takes a step closer. "No one believes that, so cut the crap!"

~Can I rip open the bars like you did yesterday?~

~ **It is easier if I take control, particularly since we are not blended, but yes, it is possible for me to give you the ability, briefly. I'm not sure what you want to get out of doing so, though. All three of them are armed, and I am sure there are guards just outside the door.~**

~Right, but Maybourne needs to get rattled a bit. He's way too self-assured. Besides, why do you think they sent the guards outside?~

~ **I suppose they may intend to do things that is at least _officially_ illegal. Very well.~**

Good, please give me the strength to tear that door, then.~

~ **Now!~**

Jack grabs the bars and pulls them to the sides hard, ripping the lock apart. The alarm blares, but Jack ignores it and grabs hold of Maybourne. "I'm fast getting get tired of your crap, Maybourne!" He snatches the other man's weapon before he can do anything and holds it to his head. "Let me out of here - or at least leave me alone. I'll never tell you anything, and neither will Jolinar!"

"Let go of me immediately!" Maybourne insists, clearly half-scared but furious too. "Damn Goa'uld! If you try anything, you'll regret you were ever born!"

"Brilliant, Maybourne! I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill!" He look at the two others. "Get General Hammond here! I'm not answering any more of your stupid questions!"

"Let go of him, now! And stop pretending to be Colonel O'Neill, you filthy snake!" Richards screams.

Things then suddenly happened very quickly. Volk pulls his gun and fires at Jack's leg, and Richards jumps forward and rams the cattle prod into his side. Jack cries out and his weapon discharges, the bullet grazing Maybourne's ear and then hitting the light fixtures and plunging the room into darkness.

Before Jack can untangle himself and limp to the exit, the door is ripped open and guards mass inside, light spilling from outside.

"Put down your weapon!" one of the guards orders Jack.

"Wait! I'm Colonel O'Neill!" Jack exclaims.

Richards stabs him again with the cattle prod and he cries out. Maybourne whacks Jack over the head. Someone fires a gun, and Jack gets hit in the chest, but by then he is already sliding unconsciously to the floor.

* * *

~ **Jack?** ~ Jolinar urges.

~Yes...~ Jack answers, groggily. ~What happened?~

**~Maybourne and his men injured us pretty badly after your attempt to escape. It was not the wisest decision.~**

~So that's a 'told you so'? What would you have done? They'd just have kept up their questioning and then moved to torture. Better to get it out in the open. Maybe we can talk to Hammond about it now.~

~ **We are at least still at Stargate Command.~**

~You're sure of that?~

**~Yes.~** Jolinar confirms. ~ **I sense the chaapa'ai.** ~

~Okay, how badly am I injured?~ Jack tries to move.

Jolinar quickly lets go of control. ~ **You had a bad concussion, a gunshot wound to your chest which had hit a lung, a gunshot wound to your left leg, and some minor scrapes and bruises.** ~

~Yikes! It doesn't feel that bad. I guess we're drugged up by Doctor Fraiser?~

~ **She removed the bullets, but I have taken care of the rest. You are almost fully healed.~**

~Wow! Thanks, I guess!~

~ **You're welcome.~**

~Of course, that means there's no excuse not to hand us over to the NID...~ Jack shudders. **  
**

~ **So you would rather I had _not_ healed you?~ ** Jolinar wonders, disbelieving.

~No, I'm happy you healed me - I rather hope I can trust Hammond and my team to play up my injuries to Maybourne so they can keep me here until they can come up with some plan. Where are we? This doesn't look like the infirmary.~

~ **I do not know. I am guessing some sort of safe room where we cannot easily escape from.~  
**

~Then there are these...~ Jack observes, lifting his arms and pulling at the restraints.

~ **Yes, but I can probably get out of those.~**

~Really?~ Jack wonders, interested.

They do not have time to consider doing so, because the door opens and Hammond enters together with the rest of SG-1. Janet trails a few steps after them, and a few guards make up the rear.

"Hi guys!" Jack greets. "Good to see you. Did you get rid of Maybourne and his men?"

"Uh, not quite... Jack," Daniel says.

"He's really fully healed?" Sam asks.

"He is, almost, yes." Janet answers.

"Goa'uld symbiotes have great healing powers," Teal'c confirms.

"Listen, guys! Could you let me out of these restraints? I promise I'm not going to attack any of you." Jack says.

"We can't do that, Colonel O'Neill - if it's even you we're talking to." Hammond says.

"Of course it's me!" Jack exclaims, miffed.

"In any case, Maybourne has agreed to postpone further interrogations until you are fully healed - in a few days," Hammond says.

"In any case, Maybourne has agreed to postpone further interrogations until you are fully healed - in a few days," Hammond says.

"Thank you, sir."

Hammond nods. "Don't thank me yet, Colonel. Maybourne insists you be transferred to NID headquarters by then."

"Unless we can find a way to avoid that. Don't worry Jack - we haven't given up on you yet!" Daniel promises.

 


	8. Chapter 8

~And here we are, back in the cell,~ Jack observes, despondently.

~ **Yes, and since our wounds are long healed, General Hammond will not be able to keep Maybourne away for much longer,~** Jolinar adds. ~ **I am sorry.~**

~Jolinar, I'm not blaming you. Yeah, I mean I wish we weren't in this situation, and I can't say I want to stay your host, but I'm not angry at you anymore. Well, at least not _much_. You're... a good person. I respect you, and I think... we could be friends.~ He sighed. ~I'm not good at this feeling stuff, as you can tell, I just thought that if we end up in some NID dungeon, then I wanted to tell you know, before they start torturing us or whatnot.~

Jolinar 'hugs' him. ~ **Thank you! You are a wonderful host, and while I would prefer a female host, I will miss you a lot when I leave you.~**

~Right now that doesn't seem like it's going to happen, unless you're thinking of jumping into Maybourne or something. Hey, you could do that, couldn't you? Take him over and let me out?~

Jolinar hesitates. ~ **Yes... I could potentially do that, though I suspect he will not give me the opportunity to do so. However, I very much do not want to do that. It is against all that my people believe in.~**

~Hey, you already took a host against his will! Why not do it again - _temporarily_ \- if it is a bad guy and it helps me?~

~ **it is not such an easy thing to change host, particularly not without killing them. I am weak from having been in three different hosts in one year, and from healing you... and attempting to heal my two previous hosts.~**

The door to the cell block opens before Jack can say anything to that. It is Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c.

"Hi, guys!" Jack says, getting up from where he is sitting on the bench.

"Hi, Jack," Daniel says.

"Sir." Sam nods, looking troubled.

"We are not bringing good news, O'Neill," Teal'c says.

"Hey, Teal'c! Good to see you too!" Jack says.

"I am sorry, O'Neill. It is indeed good to see you as well."

"Maybourne is on his way." Sam tells him. "General Hammond couldn't keep him away any longer."

"I see."

"Jack! They're coming to take you away to some NID dungeon!" Daniel exclaims. "They'll be here within a couple of hours!"

"Well it was what we expected, wasn't it? Do you have any idea to help me out of here?" Jack asks.

"We can't get you out of here. There are just too many guards," Sam says, apologetically.

"If there was anything we could do, we would. You know that, Jack," Daniel says.

"I know." He sighs.

~ **There is.~**

~What?~

~ **One of them could become my host. I can get out through the bars of the cell, and then into someone else. No one would know - if they can disarm the surveillance for a short time.~**

~Assuming they'd agree to it - which I doubt - it wouldn't take long before they found out you were not in me.~

~ **No, that is the idea. When Maybourne and the rest of the NID learns I am no longer inside you, they will let you go, will they not?~**

~They would probably examine me for a while, but yeah, they would let me go, after a while. Yes.~ Jack could begin to see her plan. ~But what about whomever you jump into?~

~ **They... would have to escape, before anyone found out. Preferably through the Stargate and to the Tok'ra. Then, in time, another host could be found for me and they could return here.~**

~So it would be quite a long term commitment. Not just something you ask of anyone.~ Jack sighs. ~But we don't have a choice. I'll ask.~

"Jack?" Daniel wonders. "We are talking to you."

"Sorry, I wasn't listening. I was talking to Jolinar. She... may have a plan."

"A plan?" Sam asks. "What is it."

"You're not going to like it - and it requires that you trust me. And her. A lot!" He began to explain.


	9. Chapter 9

Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c are silent for a long time after Jack has explained Jolinar's plan to them.

"So, you want one of us to be her host," Daniel finally says. "How would that even help? Wouldn't the NID just take that person instead?"

"No, not if he or she wasn't on the base," Sam says.

"Exactly." Jack sighs. "And I know this is asking more of you than I can. Jolinar and her host would have to go AWOL. Preferably leave Earth. Even if Jolinar gets another host, the one of you that went AWOL may never be trusted, and would certainly be forced to go through weeks or months of examinations and interrogations."

"As would you, even if Jolinar leaves you, right?" Daniel asks.

"O'Neill would not have been absent, he would not have been living with the Tok'ra for weeks or months. While he would likely be interrogated and examined by the NID, I would assume it would be less." Teal'c says.

"Teal'c is right. It wouldn't be fun, but I'd probably be free after a few weeks. I don't think that would be the case for any of you." Jack says.

"Of course, if Jolinar stays in you, you'll probably never get released. NID will keep you in their dungeons forever." Daniel realizes.

Jack nods, tersely. "Yes. I'm pretty sure that's true. Not that I think we'll live long as their prisoner - though it will probably _feel_ like forever."

Sam and Daniel is quiet for some time, the thoughts of what will happen to their friend and teammate going through their minds.

"Well, that makes it easy, doesn't it, sir? One of us _has_ to take her." Sam says.

"As a Jaffa, I cannot also be a host." Teal'c says.

"Uh..." Daniel looks uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, Jack. I really want to help you, but I just don't think I can do this..."

Sam closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I will do it."

"Sam!" Daniel exclaims.

"You sure, Carter? You know I can't order you to do something like this."

"I know, but it's your life we're talking about. I'll... I'll do it.

Jack bows his head, giving Jolinar control.

" **Thank you, Captain Carter. I promise you I will do anything in my power to find a new host as quickly as possible."**

"Provided we even manage to get off Earth." Sam grimaces.

"No offense, but how would we even go about this? I mean, wouldn't they find out immediately that she isn't in Jack?" Daniel asks.

"I... have a plan." Sam says. "I can take out the surveillance temporarily, but I need someone to distract the guards in the surveillance room. The cameras will only be out for like five minutes - is that enough?"

" **Yes, that is enough time for me to change hosts."**

"I have a training session with Lieutenant Richardson after his duty pass today. I could go and tell him that I would like to move that session." Teal'c suggests.

"Great idea, T!" Jack says, after Jolinar has given him control again. "Thanks!"

"Yeah - just tell him you'd like to spend some time with Jack and your team until Maybourne shows up and take him to the dungeon. That would make sense." Daniel says.

"Indeed. I will do so. Captain Carter, how much time do you need to prepare?"

Sam takes a deep breath. "Not long. Give me twenty minutes."

"Understood. I shall ascertain that I am in the surveillance room, distracting the guards there in exactly twenty minutes, and continuing for no less than five minutes."

Sam smiles. "Thanks, Teal'c!"

"You are most welcome, Captain Carter."

* * *

"All right. I'm ready to activate the interference. The device is in my pocket. We should pretend to just talk normally while I do so - then whomever looks at the tape afterwards won't realize immediately something is amiss." Sam says.

"Right, I know." Daniel says.

"Okay - we're ready." Jack tells them.

~ **Thank you, Jack. I will miss you.~**

~I will miss you too! I wouldn't have thought it back when I became your host, more than a week ago.~

"So, do you want any food brought before Maybourne shows up?" Sam asks, just as she pushes the button on the device in her pocket.

"Food?" Jack asks.

"Diversion. Attempt to look normal." Sam smiles, a little strained. "The cameras should be out of order for the next five minutes now." She steps up to the bars, as close as she can. "What do I do now?"

"Jolinar says to just stand still and keep your mouth open. She'll do the rest." Jack says. "And thanks, Carter. Sam."

"Just, get it over with before I regret this!" Sam laughs a little nervously.

"Sure." Jack steps up to the bars as close as he can without touching the laser beams. He opens his mouth.

Daniel looks away when he spots something exiting Jack's mouth, so he doesn't see the long slim body that quickly leaps from Jack into Sam's mouth.

Jack staggers back, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Sam almost falls, then regains her footing. Daniel swallows hard and looks at his friends. "Jack? Sam?"

Jack closes his eyes for a moment, then whispers. "I will be fine. My throat is just a bit sore."

"I can imagine!" Daniel exclaims.

" **I have given his body orders to begin healing at an increased rate for a short time. His throat should be mostly healed soon. With certainty before Maybourne is here."** Jolinar says.

Daniel stares at Sam's body, now under control by Jolinar. He takes several steps back from her, a slightly frightened look on his face. "S...Sam?"

~UH, can I have control?~ Sam asks, feeling more than a little uneasy.

~ **Of course, Samantha. And thank you very much for offering to do this.~**

~Just, remember it's temporary. Okay? And that it's my body.~

~ **I am well aware, Samantha. I do not want an unwilling host, and I would never take control against your will - except to save the life of us both.~**

Jolinar bows her head and gives Sam control.

She clears her throat, then winces. "I'm in here, Daniel. My throat is sore too, but I can _feel_ it healing, so I think it will be fine in a moment."

"Okay." Daniel nods, somewhat more relaxed. "How are you, Sam? I mean, you've got an, uh, _Tok'ra_ in your head now!"

"It's weird." Sam admits. "I won't lie about that. Somehow I'm not as worried as I was before, but I think it'll take some getting used to."

"Oh, yeah! You could say _that_ again!" Daniele exclaims.

"Jolinar is concerned for you, sir." Sam says, turning to Jack.

"Tell her I'll be fine." Jack gives her a bleak smile. "Time?"

Sam looks at her watch. "30 seconds to the cameras are back on. We should, ah, go back to appearing inconspicuous." She wipes her mouth. "Do I have any blood on my mouth?"

"No." Daniel says. He shakes his head. "This is crazy. How are we ever going to get away with it? They'll figure it out long before Sam finds an excuse to go off world!"

"That is probably true. Jolinar says she thinks there could be some ships left over from when the Goa'uld was here on Earth. We could try and find one and escape in it." Sam says.

"That sounds like a long shot!" Daniel says.

"No, she mentioned it for me too. I think it might actually work - especially if we help her search." Jack says.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asks.

"I have to go AWOL, as we talked about. That means I won't have access to the resources you do, so if you guys can do some research for me from the base, that would be great." Sam says. "We'll.. come up with some way to communicate."

"Sure, Sam. Of course." Daniel promises, very concerned for his friend.

"So, do you want to get something to eat before Maybourne shows up? Jolinar tells me you must be hungry - remember, you were her host until a few moments ago." Sam grins.

Jack rolls his eyes. "Right. Yeah, I guess I am. All things considered, I think I'd like some soup."

Daniel smiles. "We'll make sure you get it."


	10. Chapter 10

"Jack! Maybourne just arrived on the base," Daniel says, hurrying into the room with Jack's holding cell.

He nods. "Understood. Has Carter gotten away?"

"She told General Hammond she had gotten a call from a friend and needed to take some days off to go visit her. He gave her the leave. I helped her gather some things from her lab, and we agreed on a means of communication. I'll explain later. Anyway, she just left to get her car. She thought it wouldn't take her more than an hour to get home and pack some stuff, and then leave. So... if you can just keep Maybourne fooled for that long..."

"That won't be a problem." Jack scoffs. "Fooling Maybourne isn't hard."

"Jack... what about Sam? Do you think she'll be all right?" Daniel asks.

"Yes, I can guarantee you that the Tok'ra are real. Jolinar is the real thing - a... 'good' Goa'uld, as weird as that sounds. She'll help Carter as much as she can, and she's pretty intelligent. Those two together..." Jack shakes his head. "Genius is an understatement."

Daniel nods. "What about you?"

"I told you. I can handle Maybourne." Jack sighs. "It will probably be a couple weeks before they're satisfied that I really don't know anything, but at least this may finally convince everyone the Tok'ra are real. I mean, I am no longer a host, and I can vouch for Jolinar. Whether or not that will help Sam - or any of us..." He shakes his head.

"You don't know if it's better to say Jolinar took Sam against her will in order to flee, or to say that it was a plan we had all agreed to."

"Right. One will make it harder to convince Hammond and the others that the Tok'ra can be trusted and that we should ally with them, but the other will probably mean we can all forget about ever working for Stargate Command again. And probably expect to be court-martialed."

"You really think the Tok'ra could be that important an ally? That it would be worth it?" Daniel wonders.

Jack takes a deep breath. "It sounds insane, but yeah. I do. I think it's the only way we'll win against the Goa'uld."

"Right." Daniel nods. They are silent for some time. "I'll help Sam as much as I can until you're out of Maybourne's hands."

"Thanks."

They both look to the door that opens just then. "Maybourne." Daniel says.

"Yes. Doctor Jackson - time for you to leave. We're taking it from here."

"You're an idiot, Maybourne, did I tell you that?" Jack asks, rhetorically. He purposely folds his hands behind his back, in a pose that Jolinar had used previously.

"You're going to regret that attitude, Jolinar! Soon you will be in a place where your friends can't protect you!" Maybourne hisses.

"I am not Jolinar," Jack says.

"Really, you are playing that game?" Maybourne shakes his head. He turns to the guards. "Cuff him. We're leaving!"

"Uh..." the guards look nervously from Jack to Maybourne. It is obvious they know what happened some days earlier, when Jolinar had tried to escape and had manage to rip open the door.

"It's okay. I won't bite." Jack smiles, enjoying the thought of Maybourne's reaction when he finds out Jolinar has escaped. Or at least he hopes she and Carter has escaped.

Nervous, the guards opens the door to the cell. Jack allows himself to be put in handcuffs, and follows them without complaint. He can do this. Hopefully, the fact that Jolinar is no longer in him will mean that they will not be able to keep him for long - and that they will believe him, also what he says about the Tok'ra.

* * *

Sam looks around her house, considering if there ís anything else she wants to bring. She has already packed clothes, her laptop, some papers, all her jewelry, including what she has inherited - because it may end up useful for bribes. Jolinar stays silent, leaving Sam alone as much as possible.

On a sudden impulse, Sam grabs some photos of her family. In case she ends up unable to ever come back. She feels an ache in her heart, regretting it has been so long since she has talked to her dad. Even longer since she talked to her brother - and years since she visited. Before his kids were born.

Sam sighs. Nothing to do about that now.

**~I am sorry, Samantha. I did not wish to cause such interruption in your personal life.~**

Sam jumps, for a moment forgetting Jolinar was there, as stupid as it sounds. Because how could she?

~Uh, don't worry about it, I guess. I did volunteer for this.~ Sam sighs.

~ **Something which you are regretting right now.~**

~No! I mean, I'm not regretting doing this, because there wasn't really any choice. The Colonel would be locked up in a NID dungeon for the rest of his life if you had stayed in him. And so would you. I don't wish that on anyone.~

~ **Thank you.~**

~Just - make sure you keep your word. I mean, I'm not saying you won't, but I _am_ expecting you to find another host.~

~ **I promised you I would.~** Jolinar sounds somewhat miffed, a bit hurt Sam would doubt her.

~Okay. No problems then.~ Sam checks the time. ~We better get out of here.~

~ **We are hungry. Perhaps you should eat something first?~**

~I'll get something on the way. Um... I don't really have anything in the 'fridge.~

Sam gathers the things she has packed, and carries them to her car. She guilty looks around, feelings everyone can see she is running away. No one is about, though. She slams the trunk and goes to lock her door, then unlocks it and goes back inside.

~ **What now?~**

~My plants. I forgot to water them.~

~ **Give the key to Daniel and ask him to do it.~**

~Right~ Sam shakes her head at herself, angry at being distracted and not thinking of it. This is affecting her more than she had expected. No, scratch that! She has an alien lifeform in her head! A Goa'uld, even if the symbiote claims a different ideology.

She grabs a piece of paper and write a note for Daniel, then locks the door again, stuffing paper and key in her pocket.

~ **Most likely Maybourne has apprehended Jack now.~**

~Yeah. I know. I really hope they let him leave when he tells them you're not there with him.~

**~I am certain they will - after a while.~  
**

~Right. I'm just worried... that the fact that he didn't say something immediately means he'll be court-martialed.~

~ **Maybe he was confused. Would they believe that? They do not know anything about the effects of being a host.~**

~Maybe.~ Sam answers. She sits down in the car, closes the door, and starts the engine. ~Let's go drop the key in Daniel's mailbox, then we have to go withdraw some money. They will probably block my credit card pretty quick, and even if they don't, they can track me that way.~

~ **I do not know what a credit card is, but I am certain you know this best.~**

~You're in my head! How come you don't know?~

~ **As you are not a willing host, we have not blended. I would never take information from you unless it was vital for our survival. In this case it is not.~**

~Right.~ Sam says, a little stunned. ~Well, uh, credit cards are...~

She starts explaining as they drive. It feels weird talking in your own head, but also relaxing to talk about something so 'normal'.

She has worried if she would be able to handle being a host, but now she thinks maybe she can do this.

 


	11. Chapter 11

After dropping off her key - with a note - in Daniel's mailbox, she goes and withdraws as much money as she is able to without causing suspicion.

~Okay, this should be enough for us to survive for a while,~ Sam comments.

~ **We need to get to the country on your world which I believe is now called 'Egypt'. That is where we will have the best opportunity to find a hidden ship.~**

~Egypt? Do you know how difficult it would be for us to go there undetected?~

~ **You did bring your 'passport' as you call it.~**

~Yes, but if I buy an airplane ticket they will be able to track me, particularly if I pay with my credit card.~

~ **Can you get a 'passport' which says you are someone else?~**

~False papers? That's not easy to get, and it's also illegal. Though I guess I'm already at a point where that doesn't matter.~ Sam sighs. ~I don't know anyone who can get me that. I'll talk to Daniel when I meet him.~

* * *

~All right, let's find a place to hide out.~

**~Jack's cabin, maybe?~**

~They'll look there for sure! I also don't want to get too far away from Colorado Springs until I've talked to Daniel.~ She tries to think of a place to hide.

~ **Let us get something to eat, then we will think of something.~**

~Okay, that's probably a good idea. I'm pretty hungry.~ Sam admits. ~I also need to get some supplies, regardless of where I end up hiding.~ She sighs again.

~ **I am sorry I am causing you so many problems.~**

~Yeah, well I guess I agreed to this, so... don't worry about it.~ She spots a sign, and slows down the car's speed. ~Chinese or Italian?~

 **~Excuse me?~** Jolinar 'frowns'. ~ **Those are related to countries, correct?~**

~Yes. Types of food. Do you prefer Chinese food or Italian food?~ Sam almost hits herself over the head. ~You have no idea what that is, of course! Sorry. Well, Chinese it is!~

Sam parks her car and goes to the small restaurant to get some take-away.

* * *

~This is called 'Shrimp Lo Mein'. It's... noodles with shrimp and a bit of sauce. It's kind of a comfort food for me, so I hope you like it.~ Sam says, as she stuffs some of the noodles into her mouth, using the chop sticks.

~ **I do.~** Jolinar tells her. ~ **I have tried something similar before. They were a little more spicy, but otherwise the same.** ~

~Okay, well, that's lucky. It would be unfortunate if we disliked the food the other liked.~ Sam ate in silence for a little while. ~Actually... how _do_ you handle that? If you don't like the same kind of food, or whatever?~

~ **It is rarely a problem. If it is a type of food that one loves so much they will not give it up, while the other truly finds it disgusting, then it can be solved by the one hating it becoming dormant while the other enjoys the food.~**

~Huh. Well, I guess that would work for food! Not for something like a partner, though. If you even do that.~

~ **We do have mates among the Tok'ra. It does make it harder to find someone, because the mate will usually be two, and you need to like them both, of course.~**

~And both of you need to like them both, even. Yeah, that's a mess!~ Sam grins as she eats the last bit of the food, washing it down with Coca Cola light.

~ **That part is not a problem. Host and symbiote love as one. Always.~**

~How? If you don't mind me asking.~

~ **It is part of blending. While host and symbiote remain two individuals, the part that feels strong emotions will become one after a full blending.~**

~That's... neat, but also a bit weird. I mean, I guess it's nice if neither of you are together with anyone before blending, but what if one of you have a, uh, mate?~

**~We would both come to love that person - or persons. It is an unavoidable side-effect of the blending.~**

~I see. Interesting.~

~ **Do you have someone special?~**

~No, I was engaged once, but he was an idiot. I am actually not interested in a relationship right now. I have my job. Well, I _had_ my job. After this I don't know.~ She drank the rest of the Coca Cola light.

~ **Hopefully you will still have your job when you return, after I have found another host.~** Jolinar frowns. **~I would prefer if you did not drink that.~**

~You don't like the taste? I love it!~

**~It is not that - but it is quite unhealthy. It contains some chemicals which are not good for you.~**

~Aren't you supposed to fix that? I mean, you keep your host healthy, don't you?~ Sam asks, as she takes the car out on the street again.

~ **Yes. I can 'fix' that, but I do not understand a wish to ingest something harmful, even if the effects can be negated. Also, what will you do when you are no longer my host?~**

~Leave that problem to me!~ Sam spotted a supermarket. ~Let's get those supplies, and then we need to figure out where to hide. The Colonel probably can't avoid Maybourne learning that he is no longer a host, for much longer now.~

* * *

"Sit down!" Maybourne orders.

"Sure." Jack sits down on the bench in the back of the truck.

"The doctor will check you out before we leave. You will cooperate." Maybourne tells him.

"When don't I?" Jack grins and leans back against the side of the truck.

"There is no danger, is there?" the doctor asks, nervously.

"No, the snake knows we're ready to shoot if it tries anything." Maybourne says.

"Now that is just rude!" Jack complains.

"Shut up!" Maybourne glares at him. "Check him out, doctor."

The doctor nervously goes to do that. After examining Jack for some time, he turns to Maybourne. "For all I can tell, he is healthy. I don't see any signs of the parasite, though."

"It's in his head and neck. I'd think you should be able to feel it, when you know it's there."

The doctor shook his head. "I don't. All I _can_ detect is an abrasion at the back of his throat, which seems very recent."

"Yes, that's where it entered."

"But that was more than a week ago. This looks much more recent."

"What?" Maybourne asks. "What could cause that?"

"I really don't know, but I think we should give him an MRI and see if something has changed with the parasite. We don't know a lot about the Goa'uld. Maybe this is part of how they attach to their host?"

"All right, as much as I hate it, the nearest place to give him a MRI where no one will ask questions is here at the base. Take him to the infirmary and have it done. Quickly!"


	12. Chapter 12

"What do you mean it's gone?" Maybourne exclaims.

"What I say. There is no sign of the symbiote in him." The doctor told him.

"That can't be true! Are you sure?"

"Of course I am!"

Jack grins. "Is there a problem?"

"Damn you, Jack! The snake is gone! Why didn't you tell us?" Maybourne demands.

"Sorry, but you didn't ask! Actually, you weren't particularly open to listening at all. I _did_ tell you that I wasn't Jolinar, and you didn't believe me." Jack shrugs, a smug expression on his face.

"I'll get you for this! If you think you're being funny or something, I'll make sure you learn that was a mistake! Collaborating with the enemy! You are going with us, and you will stay for as long as my scientists think they can learn _anything_ about the Goa'uld from me! Do you hear me? You will tell me _all_ you know!"

Jack rolls his eyes. "Yeah, let's see what General Hammond says to that! And I don't think anyone is going to believe that I was collaborating with a symbiote who had jumped into me without asking!"

"Stockholm syndrome! I'll have you locked up in an insane asylum!" Maybourne screams, before leaving the room. He sticks his head back in. "Make sure he's ready to go with us in one hour!"

"Yes, sir." The doctor smirks, and throws Jack's clothes at him. "Dress."

"Can I get some privacy? And something to eat? I'm hungry!"

The doctor glare at him, but leaves the room.

"Hey! What about that food?" Jack shouts after him.

"Colonel," Janet says, stepping into the room from the storage room where she had been during the entire session.

"Doc!" Jack smiles. "Am I glad to see you!"

She nods. "Maybourne sure is an idiot, and I don't know where he found that doctor!" She looks at him closely. "The symbiote is gone?"

Jack nods. "Yes."

"Where is she? Or shouldn't we be talking about that?"

"Later - or ask Daniel or Teal'c, but don't talk to anyone else about it, okay?"

"Sure... and don't worry about Maybourne. I heard all they said, and I am going to inform General Hammond. I'll just get a copy of their scans, to show him."

"Thanks, Doctor." Jack looks very relieved. He grabs his clothes. "I'll go change in the storage room."

Janet smirks. "Nothing I haven't seen before, Colonel!"

* * *

Sam put the last bag into the trunk of her car. ~Okay, I think I got all that I'll need.~

~ **Good. We should hurry. Have you thought of a place to hide?~**

~Yes, I think I know where we can go. Janet's sister has a cabin that she never uses. Janet and I went there with Cassandra shortly after she'd started living here on Earth with Janet. It's in the National Forest west of the city, about 60 miles away, near a small village. There's a small store there where we can get more supplies, so I think it will work fine.~ She frowns. ~I probably need to get rid of the car and get another, though...~

~ **So many difficulties! It would be easier if we could just go offworld!~**

~Oh, I agree, but that's not going to happen - at least not through the Stargate or anytime soon.~ Sam sighs. ~We'll just make a note for Daniel, so he knows how to meet us and when, and then we need to get out of here. Maybe we get lucky and someone on the way is selling a car.~

~ **What will you tell your team mates?~**

~I was thinking... 'Saturday 1900, Murder Mountain, the Comfortable Stone'.~

~ **Yes, that is certainly confusing! What does it mean?~**

~Shortly after SG-1 was created, the Colonel decided Daniel needed some more training. After all, he was mostly working at a desk, while SG-1 is a field unit. So, he came up with some training scenarios, and one of them included a mountain - or a hill, I guess, in the forests west of Cheyenne Mountain. The Colonel had Daniel - and the rest of us - run up and down that hill for stamina, and Daniel hated it, calling it the 'Murder Mountain'. There was a fairly large rock part-way up, covered by soft moss, and Daniel would collapse on that and refuse to budge, claiming it was his couch. The 'Comfortable Stone'.~

~ **Brilliant. Your team will know what you talk about, but no one else will. Good.~**

~Yes. And if they can't come on Saturday - maybe it's to suspicious or whatever - then we just return every Saturday at that time until they can meet us.~

~ **Make the note and put it somewhere he will find it - under his door, or in that mailbox perhaps.~**

* * *

They had driven maybe 20 miles, when they passed a small town. A farm just outside had a sign up on a car they were selling.

~That's not exactly what I would want usually, but in this case I think it is just what we're looking for.~ Sam remarks. ~I'll park my own car somewhere in the forest nearby, hoping no one will find it soon. Then I'll hike back and buy the one they're selling here.~

~ **Good idea. It is unfortunate it is mid summer, though, since that means you cannot wear clothing that hides how you look.~**

~No... but you know what? There's a black wig in the trunk of my car from a party we had with Cassandra in the fall - yeah, don't ask why it's still there! Anyway, there's also a makeup bag, so I can probably at least make myself look a bit different.~

~ **Great. Do that. What about clothes?~**

~Only the costume from back then, and I'm _not_ wearing that now! I was dressed up as a witch!~

~ **I have no idea what that is, but from the image in your mind, then it would probably look... interesting. Maybe we can use some of the costume and some of your ordinary clothes, though. We should attempt it.~**

~Okay, we'll see. Let's find a spot to hide the car temporarily first.~

* * *

Sam looks at herself in the side mirror, then shakes her head. ~This is crazy.~

~ **I think it works. Let us get this over with!~**

Yes, by all means!~ Sam takes the money she needs, and starts walking.

It takes almost two hours to get back to the village, and it is near dinner time when they reach the farm.

~ **It is a good thing we have brought food. I am hungry.~**

~Yes, so am I...~ Sam shakes her head. ~Of _course_ so am I! We're sharing the same body! Anyway, it's in my car, so we need to get back there first. Now be silent so you don't make me do something suspicious while I walk to the guys with the car!~

* * *

The deal was uneventful and soon they were back at Sam's car. She loaded everything from her car into the 'new' car, grabbed a bite to eat, and then they were on their way again, towards Janet's sister's cabin.

~ **The Tok'ra will reimburse you for all you have to spend due to me.~**

Sam snorts. ~That depends if I can ever live on the planet again! Maybe I have to hide on some other world, like the Land of the Light!~

~ **Do you really think so? Your people will never trust you again, not even to let you live on your world?~**

Sam hesitates. ~Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration. It is just that what I do, working with alien science and technology, and fighting the Goa'uld... I could never find anything else to do that would be even a tenth as interesting.~

~ **You could do that if you stayed with the Tok'ra too, just in a somewhat different way. You would have access to a lot more, ah, alien technology, than you would here.~**

~You would let a human live and work among you?~

~ **It is rare, but it has happened before.~**

~Hm, not sure how comfortable I would be doing that. I mean, you guys are... well, never mind. There's also the thing about me having to leave my world, my friends, my family, everyone and everything I know, behind me.~

~ **That is true, but the Tok'ra would be your friends and family.~**

~Yeah, I don't think I'm there yet. Sorry.~

They drove on in silence for a long time, eventually reaching the cabin. It was deep in the forest, with no other houses nearby, and it was very dark.

Sam grabbed her flashlight and went to the door to the cabin. She lifted a box with a dead plant that stood beside the door, and searched the ground, soon finding the key. She unlocked the door and went inside. It smelled a bit dusty. It was obvious none had been there since she, Janet, and Cassandra had been there, and that was almost 8 months ago.

It had been late fall then. Now it was summer, and the hut was acceptably warm, even with no fire in the fireplace.

~ **No electricity?~**

~Well, there is, but we need to start the generator first. I'll go do that, so the refrigerator and the small freezer will work, then we can get started carrying stuff inside.~

* * *

"Colonel Maybourne. Wait." Hammond orders.

"What is it, General? You already saw the orders giving the NID control of the Goa'uld."

"Yes, but the Goa'uld is no longer in Colonel O'Neill." Hammond says. "Which you know. When were you going to tell me?"

"It is true the parasite is gone, but we can get valuable information from studying its former host."

"With the Goa'uld gone, you have no right to take Colonel O'Neill with you. Also, you should have informed us the moment you learned of this change, since we need to determine where the Goa'uld has gone. Possibly into _who_! Have you thought about that?"

"I am sure Colonel O'Neill knows, but he has been unwilling to tell us this!" Maybourne says angrily.

"Colonel?" Hammond asks.

"I will tell you what has happened, but not with Maybourne present. What I _can_ tell you is that Jolinar isn't in anyone here at the base. And the base is in no danger. Neither is this country or planet. As I have said before, Jolinar is a Tok'ra, and they mean us no harm. In fact, they can be great allies."

"That is something we will discuss later, Colonel. Right now we need to know where Jolinar is!"

"That I can't tell you - because I don't know."

Hammond sighs. "Debrief in my office. Immediately."


	13. Chapter 13

Tired, Sam sank down in a chair. She had finally finished getting everything into cabin, and the food into the cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer.

~ **Do you want me to make us some food?~ Jolinar asks.**

Do you know how to? I mean, using our cooking gear and food stuffs.~

~ **I am resourceful. Otherwise I can ask - or take the information from your mind. If you will let me.~**

Sam laughs out loud. ~I am a horrible cook!~

**~So was Rosha - my former host. Well, the one before you found me in. I still think of her as my host.~**

Jolinar suddenly sounds sad.

~You miss her.~

~ **Yes. I miss her a lot. She was...my better half. The one that kept me bound to reality, when I went off on some wild idea or wanted to go do something completely crazy that would probably have gotten me and others killed. I am...somewhat quick to anger and quicker to action. Not always a good combination.~**

~Sounds like it could be dangerous. Especially if you're trying to stay hidden from the Goa'uld. Which you do, right?~

~ **Very much so. We are hated and despised by the Goa'uld. Heretics.~**

~I like the sound of that,~ Sam told her. ~Maybe the Colonel is right, and you could be good allies for us.~

~ **I do think we could be good allies. Maybe that is what is needed to conquer the Goa'uld. We are too few, and so by necessity too careful. However, we can pretend to be Goa'uld, we can gather intelligence, and we have knowledge of Goa'uld technology.~**

~Which we don't, but we can be more of an offense force, I guess. Yes, I do think it would be good if we could work together, but I'm not sure if my superiors can be convinced of it.~

~ **Or mine.~** Jolinar sighs. ~ **Do you want me to try my hand at cooking? I'm not horrible, at least - even if I was a System Lord.~**

~You were a _System Lord_?~

~ **Yes. I was. A long time ago, before I became Tok'ra.~**

Wow! That is...that is unexpected. But I guess...you were all once Goa'uld.~

~ **No, most of us were always Tok'ra. A Goa'uld queen, Egeria, became Tok'ra, started the Tok'ra - and spawned most of the Tok'ra.~**

~Literally. Like Hathor.~

~ **Yes.~** Jolinar says, getting up and going into the kitchen.

~But not you. You were a Goa'uld.~

~ **It is not something I am proud of - my past, I mean.~** **  
**

~You changed on your own, though. That's pretty impressive,~ Sam admits. ~And yes, your welcome to try and cook some food - and I guess I don't mind that you take the information from my mind. Of how to use the stove and such.~

~ **Let us see how much I can figure out on my own first...and thank you, for your kind words and for trusting me.~** Jolinar opens the refrigerator and looks at the contents.

~Just make us some sandwiches tonight. I'm tired and want to sleep. You can play with the kitchen tomorrow, okay?~

~ **As you wish.~** Jolinar starts picking up the ingredients, while Sam relaxes.

* * *

"Jack?" Daniel asks, seeing his friend and team mate exit Hammond's office. "I thought the NID had taken you?"

"They _try_..." Jack smirks., giving Maybourne an evil glance as the other man appear from a side-door.

"General, I must insist that you give me..." Maybourne begins, when he sees Hammond step out from his office after Jack.

Hammond sighs deeply and interrupts Maybourne. "Not right now. After talking to Colonel O'Neill, I called the president, and you and the NID will not be allowed to take Colonel O'Neill with you. Since the parasite is gone - and I got Doctor Fraiser's word for that... _including_ the fact that you know that - your permission is no longer valid. You need to make a new application, and I can tell you that it's not going to be easy to get permission to take a member of my staff!"

"He was a host to a Goa'uld! He could be compromised. He most likely _is_ compromised! Don't forget he lied, and allowed me to believe he was still a host - no doubt in order to allow the parasite to escape!"

"Noted, and Colonel has explained his reasonings behind that too me. You are not privy to that information."

"You're just going to let him get away with it? What if he's working for the Goa'uld now?"

"Colonel! You're dangerously close to insubordination! I assure you, Colonel O'Neill will be evaluated thoroughly, and kept under observation until we know that he can be trusted, but for now that will happen _here_ , by our own people. Dismissed!"

"You haven't heard the last of this!" Maybourne threatens before he leaves, seething.

"Am I dismissed?" Jack asks.

Hammonds nods, tiredly. "You are, but don't leave the base - and don't go anywhere sensitive. I am trusting you, and I don't want to have to assign you a guard, but I will if I have to."

"Noted. I'll be nice. Sir."

Hammond nods again, and leaves.

"Uh, wanna get something to eat?" Daniel asks, when it's just him and Jack.

"Yeah, I'd like that. What's on today's menu?"

"Pork chops, I think."

"Could be worse."

"Could be better." Daniel grimassed. He smiled at Jack. "I'm happy you're back to being you, though - and that Maybourne didn't get to take you."

"You and me both, Daniel!" Jack smiled back, and they left for the mess hall.

* * *

"So... what did you tell Hammond?" Daniel asks, when they have eaten.

They are sitting in a corner, pretty far from anyone else.

"Only what I had to." Jack sighs. "He knows that Jolinar is in Carter, and that she is a willing host. Agreed to it, anyway. Also that she went AWOL of her own free will - even though she didn't really have a choice. Hammond wasn't happy about that, or the fact that Jolinar is in her, but he could see why, even if he doesn't approve."

"Okay. That's, that's good. Isn't it?" Daniel looks up as Teal'c enters the room, nods at them, and goes to fetch some food.

"I suppose..." Jack hesitates, then nods. "Yeah, okay, it's good that he didn't explode, which might have happened..."

Daniel rolls his eyes at Jack's exaggeration. "So, what now? Does Hammond know where Sam went? Did he have any suggestions?"

" _I_ don't even know where Carter and Jolinar went, so no, Hammond doesn't know that! I promised to tell him when I knew more. I think he will do his best to help us, but there is a limit to what he can do, and to be honest I think it's best for him - and us - if we don't tell him too much."

Daniel nods. "Right."

"Hello." Teal'c says, sitting down with a tray full of food before him. "It is good to see you have been released, O'Neill."

"Hi, Teal'c. Yeah, sort of. Not quite. I can't leave the base, but at least I'm not in a NID dungeon."

"Indeed." Teal'c starts eating. They are silent for a long time. "Have you made plans, O'Neill?"

"Plans?"

"For how to assist Jolinar in returning to her people, and find another host, so Captain Carter can return to our team."

"Right. No, I've got nothing. Sorry." Jack makes a frustrated sound. "What a mess this is!"

"Well, there must be a way, right? We can't get her through the Stargate, can we?" Daniel says.

Jack shakes his head. "No, there's no way we'll get Carter on the base without anyone knowing - not long enough to get through the gate, at least. I mean, sure, we could do what we did when we went AWOL to save Earth from Apophis, but we'd need Carter here to help with the technical preparations. That's assuming we don't care about basically never being able to return to Earth, of course."

"Do we have a means of contacting Captain Carter and Jolinar?" Teal'c asks.

"Sam... sort of hinted that she would contact us, so I think we'll just wait." Daniel says.

"Okay, then that's what we do for now. Wait - and see if we find a way out." Jack tries to smile reassuringly. "Hey, we're SG-1! We've gotten out of worse situations!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Daniel? What is it?" Jack asks, when Daniel sits down at the table with a nervous look on his face.

Teal'c and Jack are drinking coffee and eating pie, and Daniel has a cup too, and even some cake, but it's clear that something else is on his mind.

"I looked in my mailbox this morning..."

"Yes?" Jack frowns. "And? So? What?"

"There was a key! And a note. From Sam!" Daniel whispers in a voice so low that Jack has to lean closer to hear - though Teal'c apparently has no problem.

"She asked me to water her plants, check her mail, and... stuff."

Jack shrugs. "Okay. So?"

Daniel looks around, then whispers, lowering his voice even further. "I also found a note from her under my doormat!"

Jack sighs. "What did it say?"

"Time and place to meet with her!"

Jack nods, looking relieved. "That's good to hear."

"It is indeed," Teal'c says.

"Jack... I don't think we should tell Hammond that we're going to meet her." Daniel says.

Jack hesitates, then nods. "I agree. This way he will have an easier time saying he didn't know anything. Because he didn't _know_ anything."

* * *

**~Good morning, Samantha,~** Jolinar tells her host.

~Good morning...~ Sam sounds a bit confused. ~I am... in the kitchen. Of the hut we drove to yesterday. And I'm a host. Right.~

~ **Exactly. Did you sleep well?~**

~Uh, well enough, I guess. Weird dreams, but I suppose that's no surprise, all things considered.~ Sam tries to move an arm. ~Right. You have control of course... what are you doing?~ She realizes that there is a smell of food. ~You are making scrambled eggs? And coffee? You know how to make coffee?~

~ **I... wanted to please you. When I did not know the measurements, I... found them in your mind.~**

~What?~

**~I promise, I did not go looking around at anything else. I only looked for this one information. I am quite good at searching for the right information.~**

Sam calms down. ~Hm, okay. Well, I guess I'm happy you cooked food and made coffee. I could really use some.~

~ **The scrambled eggs are ready - and those I could make without searching through your mind, so do not be concerned.~**

Jolinar releases control to Sam, who gratefully takes it. She sniffs deeply. ~It smells good.~

~ **Thank you. I am not certain I like the coffee, though. It is bitter, and it also contains a stimulant.~**

~Caffeine. Yes, that's the point! As for the taste, yeah, I guess it's an acquired taste. I didn't like it at first either, but now I really like it.~

**~I shall admit it smells good.~** Jolinar says.

Sam grins and pours a cup, then scoops some of the scrambled eggs onto a plate, and grabs two slices of toasts, which Jolinar has made as well. She sits down at the table and smears butter on the toasts, then starts eating.

~It's really good,~ Sam admits. She takes a sip of the coffee. ~And this is perfect!~

Pleased, Jolinar 'hugs' her host. ~ **Good. I hope you will accept it as a small token of my gratitude, for doing this for me.~**

Sam eats for a little while longer. ~I am not angry at you, Jolinar, and I do understand that you did not ask for this situation either. I can't say I am too hopeful we'll solve this in the near future, but at least the Colonel will hopefully not have to be poked and prodded at by the NID. And neither will you.~

**~We will find a way, Samantha. There are other ways of this world than through your Stargate.~**

~Yeah, but we're not going to be able to easily go to Egypt. We also found another Stargate that was in Antarctica - but that one is currently in Area 51. It's a US Air Force research station for various secret research, including things we recover from other planets. We will never get in there. Their security is at least as high as Stargate Command.~

~ **Understood, but I was still thinking of _ships_. The Goa'uld almost certainly left behind several ships that are still space-worthy. There were once a great many ships on this world, and it is unlikely all were taken when the Goa'uld left. That is in addition to crashed ships and defective ships - which we may be able to salvage and repair. Egypt was guaranteed not the only place that had some left behind.~**

~Whoa! I assure, nothing of that sort was _ever_ found. If it had been, it would have been a sensation!~

**~It is probably hidden under many layers of sand or such, but we will find it. As I mentioned before, the country you call Egypt is the best opportunity, but if we cannot go there, the next best choice is Eastern Asia.~**

~That's not going to be easier than Egypt.~

**~Central America, then. That is not so far away. I shall admit that the likelihood of finding a ship there is lower, but it is a place to start.~**

Sam scoffs. ~You make it sound as if our world is littered with alien wrecks and old stuff.~

**~Much of the Galaxy is, and do not forget that your world was heavily inhabited by the Goa'uld. More so than any other. And I can sense naquadah, which makes it easier for us to find. I also know what to look for, and to some degree where.~**

~You have been to Earth before? I mean, long ago?~ Sam ate the last piece of toast, then shoveled up the remaining scrambled eggs from her plate.

**~No, I have never been to this world before. I may have been born about 2000 of your years ago, but by then the Goa'uld only visited Earth rarely. Egeria worked hard to stop it completely, and allow it to disappear into the mist of people's distant memories.~**

~I think I need to hear more about that later, but wow! 2000 years ago?~

**~Yes. Anyway, I have genetic memory from my ancestors, and some lived on your planet. Mostly in Egypt, but I believe my queen-mother's mother spent time in China... and even a short while in Central America. Perhaps this will help us.~**

~Wow. Daniel should be your host - or host to any Tok'ra symbiote. He would love all the knowledge he would get!~

**~There are others that would be better than me. I have little interest in history and archaeology, but we do have some that specializes in that. Do you think he would agree to be a host? I thought the idea was abhorrent to him.~**

~His wife is a host, and I don't think he would be able to make himself accept the idea of being a host. At least not soon. Maybe in years, when and if your people and mine become friends, and we get used to each other.~

**~Understood.~**

Feeling a little more optimistic, Sam drank the rest of the coffee in her cup, then began putting the dishes aside.


	15. Chapter 15

"It's time to go, Daniel." Jack says, looking searchingly at his friend. "If you're sure of this?"

"Of course I'm sure. It's Sam!" Daniel says. "You've convinced me that she really _is_ Sam."

"Of course she is! Jolinar is Tok'ra, and it's very obvious they're different from the Goa'uld. I trust them, her." Jack says, hotly.

"Great. Then all is okay."

"Okay - let's go pick up Teal'c, then, and get going."

"We're pretending to be going for dinner, right?"

"Oh, we are going for dinner too - we just get it to go. I'm sure Carter will appreciate it." Jack grins.

* * *

"I hope Sam's okay. It's been nearly a week since we talked to her." Daniel says, worriedly.

"I am certain she is, Daniel Jackson. She is a competent and skilled warrior, and very intelligent. She can protect herself." Teal'c says, with confidence.

"In addition, she's got Jolinar. I very much got the feeling that Jolinar can take care of herself - and the Tok'ra place great importance on protecting their hosts. There's nothing to worry about." Jack insists, turning onto the road that will lead them as close to the place they are going as possible.

He parks the car. They will have to walk the last half mile or so. They have all brought backpacks with stuff they expect Sam needs, since she will have to remain hidden.

Daniel grumbles. "It's almost 7 PM and it's still hot!"

"It's mid-July. What did you expect? And hurry up! As you said, it's almost 7PM. We don't want to keep Carter waiting," Jack says. "As it is, she'll probably not risk staying long."

They walk as fast as they can up the slope of the mountain. Soon they spot the large, flat rock with soft moss, that Daniel had liked to lie on when Jack had taken them to train here, not long after they had become SG-1.

"She's not here." Daniel says, sitting down on the rock.

"Let's wait a little while. I can't imagine she would wait out here in the open." Jack observes.

"Most likely she is observing us and determining if we are here alone, or if there is a trap." Teal'c adds.

After a few moments, a voice spoke behind them.

"Hi, guys."

They turn to see Sam.

"Hi, Sam. Wow, nice sneaking!" Daniel exclaims.

"Tok'ra are... stealthy." She gives them a wry grin. "I just got control back - Jolinar wanted to show me she could sneak up on you without even Teal'c hearing. Not bad, eh?"

"Impressive," Teal'c admit.

Jack rolls his eyes. "She's a show-off! I knew it!" He grins. "Hello Carter - and Jolinar."

Sam dips her head, and give Jolinar control.

" **Hello, Jack. It is good to see you again.** " She smiles.

"You too." He smiles back.

Jolinar gives Sam control again.

"How do you handle that? Not having control of your body, I mean." Daniel says.

"Better now," Sam says. "It's been almost a week. I'm getting used to Jolinar being there, and sharing my body. It was... difficult at first."

Jack nods. "I know what you mean. He smiles a little, almost sadly. "I... must admit, that as much as I am relieved my body is my own - sorry Jolinar - I do, miss her. I actually do. I never thought that would happen."

Daniel looks at them both as if they're crazy. "Ok, I guess that proves it! Either the Tok'ra really are a lot different from the Goa'uld, or you've both gone mad!"

"It's the first, Daniel," Jack says, seriously. He sighs. "We don't have a lot of news, Carter. Hammond doesn't know we're here, but that's as much because we decided it would be better he didn't."

Sam nods. "Plausible deniability."

"Exactly. He does know some - from what I told him just after Jolinar had left me." Jack begins to explain what has happened, and Daniel and Teal'c adds in what they know.

* * *

"It's good Maybourne is leaving you alone." Sam says. "Jolinar is relieved. She was worried about you, without her to protect you." She grins wryly and eats some of the food that her team has brought.

They have been eating the take-away while

"Geez! She knows I can take care of myself!" Jack insists. He still looks pleased that Jolinar cares. "Hammond couldn't guarantee that Maybourne and his people won't be allowed to examine me at a later date. That fellow is _extremely_ persistent, and convinced I am hiding something. Or that he can make the perfect Goa'uld-killing weapon from my blood, or something."

Sam scoffs. "Jolinar says that since she left you after such a short time, and since she wasn't killed inside you or anything, then there would be very little in your blood that is different. No naquadah, only maybe some... DNA from her, which will be floating around in your blood. That makes sense, you get that from parasitic infections too, or from having a child if you're female - both leaves some DNA in your blood, and sometimes elsewhere." She frowns. "There might be other small differences, though, like a slightly improved immune system."

"Sounds good, but you try and tell Maybourne that I'm just a normal human. He won't believe it until his doctors have poked and prodded me for months, I guess."

"Probably not. Let's just hope Hammond can continue to keep them away."

"So, what are your plans, Sam?" Daniel asks.

"Jolinar thinks we can find a left-over Goa'uld ship that still works - or can be fixed. If we can just get to it. Preferably Egypt or China, but there might be some in Central America too. Apparently the Goa'uld were everywhere, and there were also some of the Mayan and Aztec gods that were really Goa'uld."

"That's very interesting!" Daniel nods. "Maybe there could be ships hidden near where Hathor was found. It's worth checking out."

"It is." Sam agrees. "If we can get there. I do have my passport, but I'm sure there's a lock on that, so I get stopped the moment any border control sees it."

"Yes, I think we can assume that's true. I don't think it's likely we can get you on a plane, at least not without false identification papers, and I don't know where to get those." Jack says.

"I...may know someone who can get those," Daniel says, blushing a little.

Jack grins. "Really? I didn't know that!"

"Some... people I met at a dig. There is sometimes less reputable people in archeology, and it happens that you have to deal with them to get information."

"That's awesome!" Jack slaps him on the shoulder. "Tell me, can they get me a tank too?"

"No, they're not that kind of criminals. At least, I don't think so."

"How long would it take to get me false papers?" Sam asks.

"No idea. I'll... need to contact them first." Daniel says. "I didn't exactly check on that kind of thing. It was just something I overheard."

"Set up a meeting - Teal'c and I will accompany you." Jack decides.


	16. Chapter 16

"A month! It will take them a month to make false papers?" Sam asks.

"Yes, or probably a little longer - unless we can pay the extra fee."

"Well, I have the money - on the bank. I'm not sure I can get to them." Sam sighs. "Otherwise I brought my jewelry. I guess we can sell that."

"No, hang on to that for now. We may need it later, to pay for information - and we don't know how long you'll have to stay in whatever country you end up in." Jack says.

"We should go with you, Sam." Daniel suddenly says. "It's not fair that you do this alone. It is something that concerns all of us. I mean, you took Jolinar to save Jack, and she and the rest of the Tok'ra may be the best hope Earth and the rest of the Galaxy have for freedom for the Goa'uld."

Sam shakes her head. "I have Jolinar. We'll be fine. It may be easier for us to do this on our own. More people will just be more obvious."

"Yes, but what when you get offworld? If you get offworld? Do you know where to find the Tok'ra? I got the impression they were on the run much of the time. You can't be sure they are where you last saw them." Jack says.

Sam gives Jolinar control.

" **It is true. The Tok'ra base I belong to may have been moved, as may the other Tok'ra bases and outposts. If that is so, I can find them by going to one of the Tok'ra that are undercover, pretending to be a Goa'uld. That is dangerous, and would be much more so if you were to go with me. I can pretend to be a Goa'uld. You cannot."**

"No, but couldn't we just pretend to be some of your servants or something?" Jack asks.

Jolinar takes a deep breath. " **Yes, but it would still be dangerous and not something I could let you risk."**

"We _choose_ to risk it! We're a team!" Jack insists. "Besides, Hammond says Maybourne has managed to convince the higher-ups that he should be allowed to 'interview' me and 'examine' me. Hammond has called in some favours, but he doesn't think he can protect me much longer. I am not being allowed on SG-1. I am not being allowed to _do_ anything! I am seriously considering if the best thing for me is not to go AWOL and help you guys! At least, if we do make it offworld, and find the Tok'ra, then maybe we can convince the idiots back home that the Tok'ra are important allies and that we should work with them. Then, maybe, we can all go back to working on SG-1!"

" **Very true, but you still risk that you will never be accepted back. What then?"**

"Then I will fight the Goa'uld offworld. With Teal'c and Bra'tac - and Daniel. And maybe the Tok'ra. At least I would be able to _do_ something! But I don't think it will come to that."

"I agree." Teal'c says.

"Daniel? You don't need to do this, you know." Jack says.

"Yes I do. I am a member of SG-1! You are my friends. Besides, I agree with you. We need the Tok'ra. Yes, I will come with you." Daniel nods. "I will ask them to make four sets of false IDs."

* * *

They decided they needed at least a month to prepare everything anyway, so Daniel just ordered the four sets of false IDs at the regular (high) rate, and then they began preparing in secret.

Sam and Jolinar spent the time getting to know each other better, now and then meeting with Sam's team mates, who brought food and other necessities. Amazingly, no one thought to look for her there, even if she was now a wanted person.

Jack had been interviewed briefly by the NID - and told them nothing, of course. The NID still wanted to get their hands on him, for longer 'interviews' and medical examinations - or experimentations, and Maybourne regularly showed up to scream at Hammond about the incompetence of Stargate Command in not locating Sam.

Jack was going stir-crazy over not being allowed to work, but at least most people were no longer acting weird around him, having truly accepted he was not only no longer a host, but also not brainwashed in some weird way. It helped that he was completely back to normal, with almost no remaining changes to his body.

Daniel, with the help of Teal'c, researched what they could find of information about Aztec and Mayan gods and what had been found. They had all agreed that the better chance was going to Mexico or further down into Central America, than trying to catch a plane unnoticed, and go to Egypt or China.

* * *

"I got the IDs!" Daniel says to Jack and Teal'c, who have come to his office.

"That's great." Jack smiles relieved. "Good timing! The pressure from the NID is getting too intense, and Hammond just told me today that he's gotten an order that I am to go with them when they come for me - which, if I know Maybourne, will probably be tomorrow or something."

"Then we should not wait," Teal'c says.

"You know where to go?" Jack asks.

"Sam - or rather Jolinar - thinks she'll recognize the place when she gets there, and can sense the naquadah in the ship when we get close."

"Yeah, but 'Central America' is pretty big and nonspecific..."

Daniel nods. "Yeah, I know, and I think I can help narrow it down a bit. I've made a list of places that I think is the most likely contain anything from when the Goa'uld were there." He grimaces at the thought.

Someone knocks on the door, and the three friends and teammates looks at each other, worried it might be the NID coming to get Jack.

"Come in," Jack says.

The door opens and Hammond enters, with a troubled expression. "Good to find you all here."

"What's wrong, sir?" Jack asks. "Maybourne?"

Hammond shakes his head. "No." He hesitates. "I know I shouldn't ask this, but... do you know how to contact Captain Carter?"

Jack and Daniel and Teal'c looks at each other, then Jack looks at Hammond. "Maybe? Depends."

"I just got a call from her father. He's coming here, and I think she wants to talk to him."


	17. Chapter 17

"Crap!" Jack says, when Hammond has left. "Carter's dad is sick, and Hammond thinks it's serious."

"What do we do?" Daniel asks.

"If her dad's sick, I'm sure she wants to meet him - but if the NID learns about it, they'll use the opportunity to capture her. They'll tail her dad for sure."

"Then we must make sure they can meet safely." Teal'c suggests.

"That's easier said than done - but we need to contact Carter anyway." Jack says, a concerned look on his face. "And I need to be out of here by tomorrow. Why does everything happen at the same time?"

"Did Hammond say where Sam's dad lives?" Daniel asks.

"Washington, I think. Not sure, actually. Anyway, apparently he's coming here - tomorrow morning. So, I guess, we could try and pick him up and take him with us when we go to fetch Carter." Jack suggests, thoughtfully.

"Presumably he can be trusted, so why do you not just contact him and ask for a meeting?" Teal'c says.

"I'm sure they're tapping his phone." Jack sighs. Then he frowns, and grins. "We can send him a telegram! They won't expect _that_!"

"Uh, telegram? Is anyone even using that anymore?"

Jack nods. "Yes, Western Union still has a telegram service. My aunt likes to use it for Christmas greetings."

"Really? Okay, well then we need his address, I guess. And quickly, if he's going to be here tomorrow."

"I'll talk to Hammond." Jack says with a deep sigh, and leaves to do just that.

* * *

"You want me to get in your car and go with you?" Jacob asks, suspiciously. He looks at the large, rented car, with three unknown men inside. The one who calls himself Jack O'Neill and says he is a Colonel in the Air Force, a young man with glasses and a nerdy look, and a large man with a hat pulled down very far over his forehead. A strange bunch, Jacob reflects.

"Yes." Jack confirms. He grins. "Don't worry, sir. We're harmless."

Jacob rolls his eyes. "Right, and you claim General Hammond sent you. You wouldn't be in civilian if he had."

"We'll take you to Sam." Daniel suddenly says.

"Sam? My daughter?" Jacob frowns. "You know where she is?"

"Yes, but we need to leave _now_!" Jack says.

"She's our friend and team mate." Daniel elaborates.

Jacob hesitates for a moment, then nods. "All right." He opens one of the back doors and throws a duffel bag at Daniel who is in the back seat, then gets in beside him. "Let's go, then."

They speed off towards the forest where Sam/Jolinar is hiding.

* * *

"Okay, so all you'll tell me is that my daughter is fine, no one is holding her prisoner, she hasn't done anything wrong, but she has to hide from the Air Force or some shady branch of the government called the 'NID' will take her to be interrogated and - let me get this - do _medical experimentations_ on her!?" Jacob looks at them with disbelief.

"It... probably sounds a bit unusual." Daniel says.

Jacob snorts. "Unusual! It's insane!"

"I regret to inform you that it is the truth," Teal'c says.

Jacob rolls his eyes. "And then there's you bunch. Sam's 'team'. A Colonel of the Air Force, no scientific education. An archaeologist - and civilian. And a big, mostly silent guy with a bucket hat pulled down so far you can barely see his eyes!"

"It will all become clear," Teal'c assures him.

Jacob snorts again and returns to staring out the window at the trees.

* * *

"Hi, guys!" Sam says, walking towards them as they open the door to car. She stops and stares. "Dad? What are you doing here?"

"It's good to see you too, Sammie!" Jacob says, sardonically.

Sam sighs and rolls her head. "Sorry. Hi, dad." She goes to give him a hug. When they have greeted each other, she turns to her friends and team mates. "Everything all right?"

"Yup." Jack says, giving Jacob a sideways look. The man looks pale, but hasn't said anything about being sick, like Hammond said he was. "Ready to leave when you are."

Sam nods. "Okay. I just need to get my bags." She returns to the house.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Jacob insists. "Where are you guys going? What is going on? If you're all working for the Air Force, does George know? Or are you just all going AWOL?"

"Uh, it's a long story..." Daniel begins.

"One Carter and Daniel can tell you while we drive," Jack says. "Sorry, sir, but we are in a bit of a hurry. We'll make sure to put you off near a train station or something."

Jacob looks less than pleased, but acquiesces. "Okay, but it better be one _hell_ of a story!"

"Oh, trust me, dad. It is." Sam says, coming back. She opens the trunk and put her own bags down among the others. Then goes to fetch her dad's duffel bag so it won't take up space from the back seat. "I'll just put it in here with the rest for now." She slams the trunk after it.

Jacob shakes his head and gets in the back of the car again, sitting down beside Daniel. Sam gets in on the other side of him, and closes the door.

"Ready?" Jack asks.

"Yes." Teal'c confirms, and the other nods.

"Now tell me." Jacob insists, as Jack turns the car.

"Why don't you start by telling me what you're doing here, Dad?" Sam says.

Jacob hesitates, looking around at the others. Then he shakes his head. "Can't a man worry about his kid? I haven't exactly heard a lot from you lately, and then when I called George, he gave me some weird story about you being AWOL..."

"It's a long story." Sam says.

"We seem to have the time. Where are we going, anyway?"

"Central America somewhere. Daniel?" Sam asks.

"Mexico first. I thought we'd go check out the ruins near where..." He grimassed. "Hathor was found."

Sam nods. "Jolinar says that is a good idea."

"Jolinar? Hathor?" Jacob looks questioningly at them.

"Part of the long story. Where do you think we should start, Daniel?" Sam asks.

"With the Stargate." Daniel suggests.

"You don't have clearance, of course..." Sam says.

"I think we're past the point where that matters," Jack observes, matter-of-factly.

"Right. Okay, dad - this all started in Egypt, in 1928, when a strange device was found..." Sam began.

 


	18. Chapter 18

They had left Colorado when Sam and Daniel, with the sometimes help of Teal'c and Jack, had finished their brief explanation of the Stargate and what they did at Stargate Command.

Jacob stares at them, then slowly shakes his head. "I am sorely tempted to say you're all crazy, but in an odd sort of way it fits with all the damn secrecy around the project."

"It's the truth, sir," Jack says, honestly.

Jacob nods slowly. "Okay. I suppose I'll just have to accept that aliens are real - and that it's possible to travel through space using an alien thingie." He shook his head. "Craziness."

Sam grinned. "Don't worry, dad. That's a very normal reaction."

Jacob looks at Teal'c. "And you're an alien. With another type of alien in your stomach!" He frowns. "An alien that can apparently take over humans. That's not exactly reassuring."

"You have nothing to be concerned of, sir. My symbiote is not old enough yet to take a host." Teal'c assures him.

"Hmm." Jacob sighs, not really seeming reassured. "All right. Then, how does this all connect with you being AWOL as a traitor - and George telling me you haven't done a damn thing wrong?" He looks closely at Sam.

"Um..." Sam hesitated, uncomfortably. "That's, ah, a bit harder to explain. Or a lot."

"But related to the Stargate project." Daniel adds, giving Sam and Jack sideways glances. "Very much so."

"Yeah. Well, Dad, you know those aliens we mentioned, the Goa'uld?"

"I'm not likely to ever forget about those!" He shudders briefly. "Burrowing into your neck, taking you over, suppressing you, and using you to enslave and kill others. It's the stuff of nightmares!"

"That's about right. Yeah." Jack says. "Now, surprisingly - or maybe not so surprisingly - there are some of those aliens who aren't like the others. Who doesn't want to enslave humans, and who fight the ones who do."

Jacob snorted. "Well, good for them, but it doesn't change what they are!"

"No, they can't help what they are, biologically." Sam agrees. "But they are very different philosophically, and they only take willing hosts - and they allow their hosts control of the body too."

"Willing! Who'd be willing to do _that_!" Jacob exclaims. "Besides, how would you even know these, these alien snakes can be trusted? You said they could pretend to be the host."

"Um..." Sam looks even more uncomfortable. It is clear she does not know how to explain that _she_ is a host!

"Let me." Jack says. "Sir, I can tell you that we know with certainty that the Tok'ra are real, and that they can be trusted. You see, I was host to one of them."

"What!" Jacob exclaims. "How! Why? Wait, didn't you say you had tried and failed to remove on of the parasites from one of your men? Is this Tok'ra still inside you?"

"No, she left - of her own free will. Because they don't want to stay in unwilling hosts. You see, there was a, a misunderstanding I guess you could say, and she took me as host."

"Misunderstanding!" Jacob snorts.

"He has been examined, and the symbiote is gone from him." Teal'c assures Jacob.

"He could still be compromised, couldn't he?" Jacob asks, suspiciously.

"I guess I could, but you're just going to trust me when I say I'm not." Jack says.

"The Jaffa have legends about the Tok'ra, legends that fits what the Tok'ra have told us. I believe she is who she says she is."

"She, even!" Jacob snorts. "Okay, where did she go? Didn't you say they needed hosts to live?"

"Um, yes." Sam grimaces.

"We think the Tok'ra will be important allies, so we couldn't risk her dying," Daniel says.

"She's in me." Sam says, deciding it's easier to just come right out and say it.

"What!" Jacob almost jumps from the seat. "How could you do this to my Sammy!" He accuses Jack and the others.

"I volunteered, dad!" Sam tells him. "Jolinar - that's her name - she wants to talk to you." She dipped her head.

Horrified, Jacob stares at Sam and then Jolinar, as she looks up and flashes her eyes at him.

"Hello, General Carter. I am Jolinar of Malkshur, and your daughter is my host."

"No." Jacob shakes his head.

"Yes. You daughter is a brave and wonderful - and very intelligent - person, sir."

"Tell me just one thing. You can leave her, right?"

"I can, but not for some time. I have already changed hosts too often recently. Attempting to do so right now would probably kill us both. Of course, I do not have access to another host right now, but my people will hopefully be able to find me one when we get to them."

Jacob looks unhappy. "Your people. They're like you, right?"

"They are." Jolinar confirms.

"And not on Earth, I assume."

"No, not on Earth," Jolinar again confirms.

Jacob nods. "So I'm assuming you're going to take my daughter off world - for who knows how long? Can she even ever return?"

Jolinar hesitates for the briefest of moments, then nods. "Yes, we will be going off world, to search for a new host as I said. And yes, I will do everything within my power to assure that she will be able to return. I cannot say when, of course, because it may take a long time to find a new host. And there is apparently also some problems that needs to be solved here."

"There's some people who want to take Sam and experiment on her when they learn she is a host. They want to take Jack too, because he was a host," Daniel elaborates.

"We will accompany Carter and Jolinar off world," Jack promises. "We will not allow anything to happen to her, sir. You have our word... and we _will_ bring her back to you."

Jacob sighs, then nods. "I trust you." He looks at Jolinar again. "Can I, can I talk to my daughter?"

"Of course," Jolinar says, bowing her head and giving Sam control.

"Dad?" Sam asks, looking at him with concern. He has had a very serious expression all the time, of course, almost angry, but now it is just serious - and maybe a little sad. "What is it?"

"I may not be here when you come back, Sam." He took a deep breath. "I have cancer. Lymphoma."


	19. Chapter 19

"Oh, no! Dad!" Sam exclaims, looking devastated.

Jolinar gives her a warm hug, and she feels somewhat comforted.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to die immediately!" Jacob assured her. "I'll be around for a while to come."

"But, I..." Sam doesn't know what to say.

"We cannot remain here, sir." Teal'c says.

"Right. By now we're probably already reported AWOL." Daniel says, unhappily.

"Maybe not quite, but I suspect soon. Me, at least." Jack sighs. "It is my fault we are leaving. The NID would have taken me in for examinations because I was a host to Jolinar before."

"I can't stay either. It's only a matter of time before they find me." Sam says.

"And we're not letting you go alone! We're your team!" Daniel insists.

"I concur." Teal'c says.

Jacob nods. "And I am coming with you."

"What?" Sam looks at him, shocked. "Dad!"

"That is not a good idea, sir. I cannot guarantee your safety." Jack says.

Jacob snorts. "Safety! Didn't you hear what I said before? I'm dying!"

"There won't be any health care off world," Daniel warns.

~ **Cancer? What is that?~** Jolinar wonders.

~Basically, it's a disease where cells grow out of control, creating tumors, etc. Just look for some information among my memories - it's easier. I'm not a doctor.~

Sam gets the weird feeling of someone else going through her mind.

~ **I see. Let** **me have control.~** Jolinar tells Sam after a few moments.

~Okay.~ Sam agrees, dipping her head.

" **I would like to remind you that the purpose is to find my people when we escape from this planet. The Tok'ra have skilled healers. Should this cancer of yours have gone too far, so they are not able to heal you, a symbiote can do so if you become a host. It is a common illness among your kind, and we cure if often."**

"Um..." Jacob frowns. "I'm not sure about becoming a host, but I guess it's an option when everything else is tried. I am coming with you, so those healers of yours will probably get their chance to try."

"Sir," Jack begins.

"Can it, Colonel!" Jacob orders. "This discussion is over."

* * *

They had driven on in silence for quite some time. Outward silence at least, since Sam and Jolinar was talking now and then.

Sam was worried about her father and sad.

~But what if we don't get away? I mean, what if we're caught and thrown in some jail to rot, what about my dad then? We'll all be held accountable! He could die!~

~ **I will not allow that to happen, Samantha. Neither will your team mates. I am confident we will get through this and find some sort of vessel that can carry us off world.~**

~But that can take a long time! And what if we get off world? Can you find the Tok'ra? Couldn't they have left from the location they were on when you saw them last?~

Jolinar was silent for some time. ~ **Yes, they could, but then we will find them.~**

~Could you take my dad as host and cure him?~

~ **Not for several months to come. As I told you before, trying to leave you soon would probably kill us both, and I would need to be extra strong in order to be able to cure your father. Of course, he also do not want to become a host.~**

~But you could leave him again?~

~ **Samantha, Sam... please understand that it is not easy to do so. Not for the symbiote, and not for the host. Not just physically, but mentally as well, particularly after being together for a long time. To cure your father, a symbiote would have to blend with him, and it would also likely be weakened in the process. It would not be able to leave him for years, and by then he would not survive the mental shock from being alone after so long. No, it would not work. I am sorry.~**

Sam sighed. ~I understand. We'll just have to get off this world and then find the Tok'ra. For all our sakes.~

* * *

About two hours ago they had crossed into New Mexico, and they were now nearing Santa Fe. By now it was mid-afternoon, and none of them had eaten since morning.

"What do you guys say we take a break and get something to eat?" Daniel asks.

"Enough time has passed now that they know we've gone AWOL - and they know General Carter is probably with us." Jack says. "The sooner we get to the Mexican border the better."

"Perhaps we could just stop for a moment and buy something to go?" Sam suggests, throwing a worried look at her father who looks pale.

He raises an eyebrow at her. "Colonel O'Neill is correct, Sam. We should carry on."

Daniel rolls his eyes. "You guys are too much! Look! There's a sign for a small restaurant coming up. Can't we just stop for a few minutes? I need to pee too!"

Jack hesitates, then nods. "Okay, but we stay there only as long as we absolutely have to."

* * *

Sam opened her box and sniffed the food. "Smells good. This was a great idea!"

~ **Utah?~** Jolinar asks, studying the food through Sam's eyes.

~What? The state?~

~ **No, the food. it looks like a dish eaten in Zipacna's domain - among other places. It is called 'utah' by the locals. Is this the same?~**

~I have no idea, but I'll ask Daniel - or we can eat it and you can evaluate it, I guess.~ Sam smiles. "Daniel, Jolinar says she knows of a similar food from the domain of someone named Zipacna. She says it's called 'utah'. Do you think it's the same?"

"It is. Tamales were already eaten thousands of years ago in Mesoamerica, and they were called 'utah' by the Mayans. They called both tortillas and tamals that. Zipacna is, a kind of demon in Mayan mythology. I guess he's really a Goa'uld?"

~ **Yes.** ~

"Jolinar says yes." Sam confirms.

"Interesting!" Daniel says. "I'd really like to talk some more to Jolinar about what she knows of this Goa'uld - and the other Goa'uld who have been the origin of various Earth mythology."

"You'll get plenty of time to do that when we're with the Tok'ra. As I understand it, we'll be there for a while!" Jack exclaims. "Now eat. We need to get going."

 


	20. Chapter 20

"Why did you take a left? The direct way to the border is straight ahead," Daniel says.

"Okay, Daniel. Here's a hint - we're on the run from the government. Do you really think following a state highway is a good idea?" Jack asks.

"Um, guess not." Daniel admits.

"Good. Now, I'm going to take a smaller road that goes through Roswell and then across the border to Texas. Then we'll follow the smaller roads until we get to the National Park at the border. I'm thinking that is as good a place as any to sneak over the border. Most people try to get the other way across anyway. Besides, I know one of the park rangers. "

"Roswell. Really?" Daniel rolls his eyes. "Don't you think that's a bit ironic?"

"You are thinking of the fact that extra terrestrials have frequented the location, and that a spacecraft is purported to have crashed there?" Teal'c asks.

"I think 'fact' would be a bit of a stretch, Teal'c. Maybe you should be more critical of the Earth programs you watch," Jacob says dryly. "I think it's a bit on the same level as the rumours about alien tech in Area 51. That's an Air Force base for testing of experimental aircraft, nothing else."

"Ah... that's, that's not completely true, dad. Much of the stuff we find off world is shipped to the researchers at Area 51, so they do have alien tech there. Lots of it, actually." Sam admits. "But as far as I know there was never any aliens that crashed in Roswell, so that one is pure myth."

Jacob snorts. "Why am I not surprised? I mean, I originally thought only conspiracy-nuts believed the US Air Force had met aliens and cooperated with them, but then I meet Teal'c, who is working for them, so I guess I should just _become_ a conspiracy nut."

"Except it's true." Daniel points out. "So it's not a conspiracy."

Sam gives Jolinar control. " **Except... you do not tell your population that you are going to other planets, have... _alien_ technology, or have met... _aliens_. Is it not then a conspiracy?"**

"Jolinar is right, you know." Jacob grins. "Maybe we should stop at the museum in Roswell and check it out. Perhaps we'll find evidence that too is true? Maybe there's a spaceship right there, and we don't have to go search all of Central America?"

Sam gets control again. "I'm afraid we probably do. I don't think there is anything in Roswell, and even if there once were, it would have been moved to Area 51. I can't see why they should have kept the finding of alien tech there from us - with the things we know, I mean."

"Carter's right. And we're not going to the museum. I absolutely refuse!" Jack says.

"Might be interesting, don't you think?" Daniel asks.

"No, and it will be evening when we get there anyway." Jack says with finality.

* * *

**~Why do you have pictures of Asgard here? And bad pictures at that!~** Jolinar asks when they pass a sign just outside the city of Roswell.

~Asgard? You mean the beings that are protecting the people on Cimmeria look like _that_?~ Sam sounds shocked.

**~The proportions in the drawing is a little off, but mostly, yes. Cimmeria is one of the Asgard protected planets, where Goa'uld are not allowed to go.~**

~Yeah, we... ended up there. By accident. Teal'c was taken by a beam and put into a dungeon - where there were a Goa'uld with an Unas host. Wait... if the Asgard look like that, then maybe there really _were_ a crash here.~

**~Most likely. While being an ally in the fight against the Goa'uld, the Asgard also has some troublesome sides. They have a... ah, tendency to capture humans... and sometimes Tok'ra, for medical experimentation.~**

~What!~

~ **Their people is dying, and they are unable to reproduce, except by cloning. They hope to find a means to cure themselves in the DNA of other lifeforms.~**

Sam groans.

"What is it?" Jacob asks.

"We... may have been wrong when we said there had never been a crash in Roswell. Jolinar saw on of those pictures." Sam pointed at another sign. "She says they show an Asgard."

"Asgard? That is the people that they talked about on Cimmeria, right?" Daniel asks.

"Yes. They do fight the Goa'uld, but... they also seem to have a habit of abducting people for medical experimentation. Hoping to cure themselves of sterility and other problems."

"Please don't tell me all those conspiracy stories about alien abductions are true!" Jack exclaims. "And here we thought the Asgard could be friends!"

"Well, we already knew there were aliens abducting people, at least at some point. Namely the Goa'uld, taking them as slaves and hosts." Daniel reminds them.

"Jolinar says they are important allies in the fight against the Goa'uld, and that the Council of the Asgard has, mostly, forbidden experimentations on humans. And Tok'ra."

**~It does not stop them all, though. And not all planets are included in this ban.~**

"Okay, it still happens sometimes. Somewhere. And maybe on Earth too, because not all the Asgard obeys the order, Jolinar thinks."

"Wonderful!" Jack snorts. "I think we need to warn Stargate command about this!"

"Maybe wait until we're somewhere safe and send a letter?" Daniel suggests. "I mean, it's not like this is something new. It's been happening for a while, if the stories are true."

"Okay, are there _any_ of the conspiracy stories that _aren't_ true?" Jacob asks, sardonically.

"Who knows." Sam says in a low voice, as they drive out of the city and continue towards the border.

* * *

Suddenly the sound of a phone ringing is heard.

"Dammit! Who brought a cell phone?" Jack asks, angrily.

"Uh, I took the one I usually keep in my car. For emergencies." Daniel admits. "I thought it might be good to have..." He fishes it out of his bag, then looks at the display. "I don't recognize the caller..."

"Turn it off!" Jack orders.

"Don't you think we should answer?" Daniel asks.

"No! Are you crazy?" Jack snatches the phone from Daniel and takes one look at the display, then rolls down the window and throws it outside.

"Hey!" Daniel exclaims. "My phone! It was expensive, you know!"

"And worthless! They can track us with it!" Jack says angrily. "I don't recognize the exact number, but I've seen numbers in that range belonging to shady organizations under the government! And don't ask me how I know!"

"Sorry," Daniel says, apologetic. "I don't know what I was thinking. Do you think they tracked us?"

"Probably, and I am an idiot too! I should have turned off the phone before leaving it, because now it's just lying there broadcasting where we were!" Jack shakes his head. "I wonder if they've been listening in, using it. They can do that, you know! Spy on you with an active cell phone!"

"Really?" Daniel says, disbelieving.

"Yes, really. Believe me." Jack says.

They continue in silence, now even more worried that they might be stopped in a roadblock at any time, or hear helicopters above them anytime.

Jack turns off the larger road and onto a smaller one, which isn't paved.

Another 20 miles or so to go before they reach Texas, and then another 150-160 miles following the smaller roads down through Texas, before they reach the border to Mexico.

 


	21. Chapter 21

It was near sunset when they were getting close to the Mexican Border, having only taken a short break to get some food and use the facilities, when they passed a truck stop some time back.

"Damn it!" Jack suddenly swears, and quickly turns the car around. Ahead of them, on the road, there is a roadblock with several unmarked black cars.

"Careful!" Daniel exclaims, as he and the others tries to hold on as Jack swerves the car at high speed and accelerates on the gravel road.

"Not now!" Jack drives as fast as he can, back the way they came.

Teal'c looks through the window. "There are helicopters approaching."

Jack groans. "The NID, no doubt! Or some of their friends." He turns left onto a road that is more a faint track than a road, and they bump along through dry grass and bushes, towards the outskirts of a sparse forest with high cliffs all along the horizon. The beginnings of the national park they hope to hide in and where they hope to cross the border unseen.

"Black helicopters? Really? That too?" Jacob asks, exasperated.

Sam just sighs and stares at the approaching helicopters.

Teal'c sits stoically through it all, amazingly able to hang on better than all the other - just like when he was the only one standing after everyone else was thrown when Apophis's ship entered hyperspace.

Sam shakes her head in amazement, and Jolinar makes a comment about training. Sam throws her dad a worried look. He doesn't say anything, and is clearly ready to brave whatever comes, but he is paler than before. Frailer than she can ever remember him, she suddenly feels. Her heart constricts at the thought of losing him.

~ **We will get through this, and you will not lose him if the Tok'ra have anything to say!~** Jolinar promises.

~What if we won't agree to be a host?~

~ **Then, hopefully, our healers can cure him in another way. As long as he is not too far gone when we get there, then a symbiote may be his only hope.~**

Silently, Sam returns to her own thoughts, as Jack pushes the rented car to the maximum and speeds into the forested area, following the faint tracks through low-hanging branches. She really hope he knows what he is doing.

* * *

"The helicopters are still following, O'Neill," Teal'c says, when they have driven through dusty bushland interspersed with patches of forest, for some time.

"I know!" Jack exclaims. "At least I think we lost the cars!" He tries to look back and keep an eye on the road ahead at the same time.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Daniel shouts! "If you want to call it that!"

"Whoa!" Jack steps on the brakes, but it is not soon enough, and the car slides out over the edge and begins to slide down an incline. "Damn! _Stupid_!"

About halfway down, the car gets caught in a tree, and that stops the decline.

"Phew!" Jacob sighs. "I thought we were going to end up down in the water!"

"Just be happy it's summer! The water reaches up above here in the wet season!" Jack grumbles. "Get out of the car! Quickly!"

They all hurry out, and Daniel goes to open the trunk.

"The helicopters!" Teal'c warns, hearing them again, approaching.

"Can't we get the car loose?" Daniel asks.

"No, and even if we could, we can't get it back up to the, ah, road." Jack says. "Only grab the most important - water, blankets - and whatever valuables you brought. We're going to need them!"

Sam snatches the backpack she had packed, which contains the most important. The smaller bag only has some more extra clothes, and that she will have to buy where they go.

The others do the same, and soon they are ready to leave.

"You okay, dad? Do you need me to take some of your stuff?" Sam asks, worriedly.

"No, I'm fine." Jacob looks offended. "This is enough! I've been roughing it as much as you guys!" He holds up the small backpack he has taken, leaving the duffel bag behind.

"Get moving, guys!" Jack urges, looking worriedly at the sky. The sound of the helicopters is coming closer again, after having moved away for a moment. They are clearly circling, trying to see where their prey is.

"The somewhat dense foliage right here in the hollow is to our advantage. I don't think they'll even be able to see the car easily." Jacob says. "Especially not now, since the sun is down and it's getting dark."

"Perhaps, but I'd feel safer if we were closer to the border," Jack says.

"How far away is it?" Daniel asks.

Jack considers. "I think I saw Roy's Peak ahead to the right, in the distance, a little while back, before we, ah, crashed. So... my guess is... maybe 10 miles?" he answers slowly. "And the terrain ahead of us is pretty bad, because we can't just follow the public trails everywhere." He sighs. "We also can't just go in a straight line, because there's a canyon not too far ahead, I think, and it's too steep to go down the side. We have to find the trail, which is probably also what the damn NID guys would expect us to."

"Well, at least it's dark now, and there is no moon." Jacob points out.

"Because it's overcast. It'll probably rain." Daniel says, morosely. "And the air is cooling rapidly."

"Regardless, it'll help us escape the followers." Jacob says. "Especially since it looks like the trees are getting sparser ahead."

"Try disappearing all together. It's dusty cliffs with a few bushes and cactuses. But the darkness might save us. Unless they have infrared in the choppers, or send down men on foot," Jack says somberly, finding a compass in his pocket. He takes a look at it. "Come on, guys!"

"How did you manage to get this kind of enemies?" Jacob asks, rhetorically, as they start walking.

* * *

About an hour later, they have made it into the canyon. The terrain up until then had been treasonous and hard to walk in, and with the near total darkness, they are only making slow progress. As Jack had said, the forest had immediately changed to cliffs and bushland with only occasional larger clusters of trees.

"The helicopters are still circling, no doubt they have found the car by now." Jack observes. "It's a good thing we can walk under cover of darkness, especially here out in the open."

"It's starting to rain," Daniel says.

"Damn, you're right!" Jack swears. "It's pretty rare this time of year here. Let's hope it's not getting bad, because that's _not_ what you want at the bottom of a long canyon!"

They continued walking for another hour, with the rain growing worse. They were pretty much soaked when they reached the end of the now very muddy track at the bottom of the canyon.

Overhead, lighting tore across the sky, followed almost immediately by rolling thunder. The rain grew worse and the wind picked up. They suddenly shivered from the cold.

"Over there!" Teal'c points. "There is a cave!"

They hurried to the small cave, and huddled together in there, hiding from the cold and the rain. Hopefully the rain would stop before morning, because they needed to get across the border before sunrise.

 


	22. Chapter 22

It was almost two hour later when the rain finally let up, and the thunder stopped. Very wet and cold, SG-1 and Jacob left the small cave and looked around. The moon had come out now, and it was no longer completely dark.

"At least the wind has quieted down some," Sam observes.

"It's cold as hell!" Daniel complains, shivering.

Sam looks to her dad. He looks pale and sick in the moonlight. "How are you?"

"Well enough." He suppresses a shiver. "Let's get going!"

"We need to get to higher ground. We can't take the road I expected to, not with the road a feet deep in mud!" Jack says. "Let's hope we can get down to the Rio Grande somewhere that doesn't have high cliff banks. I'm afraid the other areas are pretty much swamped right now."

"Well, we can't get any more soaked than we are right now, so who cares?" Sam says.

"True enough." Jack looks at the sky that is clearing. Stars are coming out together with the moon, and the black sky as background is beautiful. "At least we're getting a nice sky to look at."

Jacob snorts, but makes no comment, which Sam takes as proof he is exhausted. Slowly, they begin to walk.

* * *

The sky was beginning to become red and lighten in the east when the ground started to slope sharply down towards the river Rio Grande.

"This looks like a good place. Very deserted," Jack observes, when they finally find a place where the ground is mostly flat.

"And fortunately not as steep as the previous place," Daniel says.

"How do we get across? I know the river is pretty shallow in some places, but here it looks too deep to wade across," Sam says.

Jack grins. "We may have to swim part of the way, though I think we should be able to _just_ keep our heads above water wading most of the way - but it's only about 60-70 feet across in any case."

"My clothing had started to dry!" Daniel complains.

"Don't worry, in a few hours you will be dry. Hot and sweaty, actually. And dusty. Where we're crossing, there's no city immediately nearby on either side, and we're continuing through terrain much like what we just passed through for the next many hours. Probably at least all of today."

"Wonderful!" Daniel grumbles.

"You'll be okay, sir?" Jack asks, looking to Jacob.

"Yes," Jacob says, curtly.

Sam looks to him, not sure if she believes him, but aware that he won't say different.

Carefully, they all enter the river, carrying their stuff on their heads. The water is still very cold this early in the morning, and deeper than Jack had estimated. They have to swim in the middle, perhaps 20-30 feet, at the same time trying to keep their bags above water.

When they make it to the other side they are very cold and shivering. Sam and Jack helps Jacob out of the water. He is cold and stiff, and can barely move - having swallowed some water as well.

"Dad, are you okay?" Sam asks.

"Maybe we should take a short break?" Daniel wonders.

He coughs up the water and stands for a long time, breathing raspily before looking up at her. "I'll be fine. Let's get going so we can get warm again!"

Jack throws Jacob a worried look, then looks around. "I think we do need to get going - and fast. We may be in Mexico, but as long as we're in a deserted area like this, I wouldn't put it beyond the NID - or other government agency types - to send those helicopters across the borders to catch us."

"How far away to the nearest place where we can get a car?" Sam asks, giving her dad another worried look as he coughs violently.

"It's been a while since I was last here, but aside from the occasional - very small - gas station with perhaps a small store, I doubt we'll come across anything before evening. Sorry, Carter." Jack looks apologetically at her.

"Then we'd better get going, don't you think?" Jacob says, giving them a stern look, daring them to say anything.

No one does, and they start walking, happy they at least have a full canteen of water each. It's going to be a hot day.

* * *

~ **What is that sound? A helicopter?~** Jolinar suggests.

~Damn!~ Sam swears. "Jolinar just notified me that she's hearing a-"

"-helicopter," Teal'c says.

They have been walking across a stony dry land with cliffs here and there for a while, with nothing but rocks and dirt - and cacti and a few hardy bushes. The more lush terrain near the Rio Grande had given way to this more desert like cliff landscape after a few miles.

Jack looks desperately around them, squinting against the dust that is blowing around. "Over there! Those bushes by the cliffs should provide enough shelter!"

They hurried over there and squeezed together under the plants.

"Auch, those _thorny_ bushes you meant!" Daniel complains.

"Most plants in deserts are that way," Jack says, grinning a little.

"I guess now is when we're happy about this accursed dust the wind is blowing around all the time!" Jacob complains.

"Yes. If we're lucky, they won't be able to see any tracks from us - the ground was pretty hard most places and the blowing dust and sand should hide our tracks." Sam agrees.

They sit as still as possible under the thorny bushes, waiting nervously as the helicopters circle.

Finally, they turn back towards the US border, and when the noise is disappearing, SG-1 and Jacob crawl out into the open again.

"Damn! That was close!" Jacob exclaims.

"Too close. Let's hope this is as far into Mexico as they'll dare go. Openly, at least. We should probably be on the lookout for undercover agents." Jack says somberly.

"Do you really think they're _that_ desperate to catch us?" Daniel wonders, disbelieving.

"Oh, yeah. Trust me, they are." Jack says as they start walking again.

* * *

It's a few hours after noon when they spot a building in the distance. Some time back they had reached a dirt road which they had followed for several hours.

"That a gas station or a store, or what do you think?" Jacob asks, squinting against the sun and the dust.

"A restaurant, I hope!" Daniel says. "I'm hungry!"

"Yeah, we should have brought more protein bars, but we didn't exactly have time to pick and choose back there." Jack observes. He plucks out his binoculars and gazes at the visage of the building that is shimmering in the heat. "It's a gas station - one pump. I think there's a small store too, so if we're lucky we can buy some food." He is silent for a while, studying the building. "Looks a bit deserted, though, but we'll see."

"At least it doesn't appear as if anyone is waiting for us there. Shady types, I mean. Does it?" Daniel asks.

Jack shakes his head. "No, but who knows? Better be careful, guys!"

 


	23. Chapter 23

The place did not look less deserted when they got closer, but they still continued on. If they were lucky they could perhaps find something useful there, that had been left behind.

"Closed." Jack observes, when they reached the gas station. "Has been for a while, I think."

"Looks that way, yeah," Sam agrees unhappily.

Jacob surreptitiously leans against the wall in the shadow, and drinks the rest of the water in his canteen. "We need more water if we're to go much further in this heat."

"Agreed," Jack says, checking on the contents of his own canteen. "I've got less than a quarter left."

Daniel snorts. "Mine is empty!"

"I have between half and three-quarters of water in mine left. Jaffa are much better able to withstand the heat and dry air than humans," Teal'c says.

"Same goes for Tok'ra," Sam tells them. "Dad?"

"About the same as Jack," Jacob lies. He coughs violently. "Sorry, it's the damn dust."

Sam looks closer. "You don't have any water left, do you?"

Jacob sighs. "Maybe not."

"Then maybe Teal'c and I should go on while you stay here in the shadow? We'll return when we get hold of a car." Sam says.

"That's not necessary." Jacob insists stubbornly.

"Let's first see if we can't find something useful here. Looks like there was a shop once, maybe there's something useful left over - or there could be a water pump." Jack decides. "Check out the place, people!"

* * *

"Two cans of beans, a can of coke, and a pretty old bar of chocolate." Sam rapports, when she and Daniel exits the store that they have looked through. "That's all we found. Someone else has raided the place."

"There's a water pump out back, but it's completely dry," Jack says. "What about the store owner's home? Did you find anything there?" He looks to Jacob and Teal'c.

"Nothing of any interest," Teal'c says.

Jacob coughs again, and looks pale, but doesn't say anything.

"Well, then we'll have to be happy with what we found," Jack says. "Too bad. Let's take a break and eat the food we _did_ find. By then it should be past the warmest time of the day and we should continue."

"How are you going to cook the beans?" Daniel asks.

"I'm not. We'll eat them as is." Jack grins.

* * *

When they had finished eating, they felt somewhat better. Daniel and Jacob had shared the can of cola, and the others had sipped their water.

"Okay, time to get going!" Jack says, checking the time. "It's almost 1600 hours."

They all got up and stepped outside. However, they had barely left the shadow of the gas station when Jacob collapsed.

"Dad!" Sam exclaims, and hurries to him. She checks his pulse and his forehead. "Pulse is faint - and he's very hot!"

"Sir?" Jack asks.

Jacob coughs weakly, but manages to sit up. After a little while he has recovered enough that he can speak. "I don't think I'll make it, Sam."

"Dad! Don't say that!"

She and Jack helps Jacob to get back into the shadow and he sits against the wall.

~ **He got a lot of water down into his lungs when he was about to drown in the river this morning - and we were all very cold after the wet night. If he was weakened before...~**

"Pneumonia. Dad! Why didn't you say something?"

He coughs again. "I didn't think it was that bad. I thought it was just the heat, but it's not just that."

"If you have a fever, then you're staying here." Jack decides. "We'll go with Carter and Teal'c's plan."

"Yes, keep my canteen. Teal'c and I will share what is in his. Jolinar believes it should be enough, especially since it will be getting colder now. How far do you estimate to the nearest place where we can get a car? Or maybe just some water?" Sam asks.

"Maybe about the same distance as we have already walked." Jack says, after a moment. "Continue in _that_ direction." He points. "It should take you to a small village - and about half-way there should be a small stream where you can get some more water."

"Okay. We'd better get going then." Sam says, looking at her dad who is very quiet.

"Take the empty canteens." Jack says, and hands her his.

"Good idea." Sam takes it, and also Daniel's and her dad's. She sits down beside Jacob. "We'll be back soon, dad. Just hang in there, promise me that!"

Jacob nods weakly. "I promise, Sam." He smiles at her.

Sam and Teal'c walks off, with Sam throwing a last glance in the direction of her dad.

* * *

~ **We will get back to them, Samantha,~** Jolinar repeats, for the second time, trying to comfort her distraught host who seems lost in her own thoughts.

~I should never have let him come!~ Sam answers, pulling herself out of her misery enough to answer, at least.

~ **The decision was his to make.~**

~What if he dies before I return?~

 **~He will not. He is much too stubborn for that,~** Jolinar assures her.

"There is the water stream," Teal'c says.

"That means we should be about half-way," Sam observes, relieved. She looks at the sky, which is read with the setting sun. "We won't get to the village in time before the stores close."

"I am certain that it is just a matter of raising the price of the goods."

Sam grins. "I suppose so. Out here the stores probably don't have as set a closing time as in the bigger cities, so you may be right and we can pay someone to sell us what we want even now. I mean, it's unlikely there is a car dealership, so we need to hope someone is up for selling their car."

They fill the water canteens then drink from the fresh clear water, before continuing on.

 


	24. Chapter 24

It is after midnight when Sam/Jolinar and Teal'c walks into the small village.

~Not much light here,~ Sam observes.

~ **The moon has set, and there are no streetlights - that are working, at least. it is probably too small a village for that to be a priority.~**

~Or it's too poor. Or no one cares.~ Sam sighs. ~Looks like it has a store, at least, and a gas pump outside it. I wonder if anyone is willing to sell us a car?~

"Everyone appears to have gone to bed already," Teal'c says. "I suggest we awaken the owner of the store."

"Agreed."

They went up to the door to the dilapidated building and knocked on it. There was no reaction. Teal'c then hammered at the door.

After several minutes, the door was opened by a sleepy looking man. "¿Sí? Quién es?"

"Uh, sorry, do you speak English?" Sam asks.

"Yes." The man replies.

"Okay, uh, we, ah, our car broke down in the desert. At least 25-30 miles back. Our friends are there still, waiting for us. Do you know if anyone here has a car for sale?"

"What?" He frowns as his attention is taken by the dusty clothes of his visitors. "Ah, car for sale. Yes, yes, but don't you need help? Getting broken car back?"

"No, no, we'll handle that." Sam says, hurriedly.

"We only need transportation. You have a vehicle for sale?" Teal'c asks.

"Yes. I do. Not a new one, but sturdy. Good."

"Okay, what's the price?" Sam asks.

"Don't you want to see?" The man wonders.

"We really need a car, so as long as it will run, then it's fine," Sam says.

The man shrugs. "Okay, just a moment. I need some warmer clothes, then I'll show you."

"We need to buy some food too. And water."

"Of course. I'll open the store. Just a moment." The man disappeared into the house to get dressed.

* * *

Just under two hours later they were on their way back to the others, driving a very old - but functioning - car.

Teal'c was currently driving, while Sam/Jolinar was relaxing and half-sleeping.

Sam had convinced Teal'c he should take the opportunity to do his kel'no'reem, as he would need his strength. He had eventually acquiesced and had taken about one hour out to do his kel'no'reem, while Sam/Jolinar bartered with the store owner for first his old car, and then for various goods they wanted.

When Sam/Jolinar and the store owner had finished loading the car, Teal'c had rejoined them. Sam had gratefully rested against the seat, and intended to take a nap on the way back. It turned out Tok'ra needed sleep too, and they had been up and walking or driving for almost two whole days now. Sam and Jolinar were both exhausted. She did not want to think about how her dad was doing, but hopefully he had been able to sleep some.

She had managed to get some antibiotics, so hopefully it would help against his pneumonia. Now they just needed to get back there, and quickly.

~ **Sleep, Samantha. All will be well, but you need your strength - and I need to sleep too.~**

~Sorry, am I keeping you awake?~ Sam asks.

~ **Yes, and if you don't stop then I'm going to put you to sleep!~** Jolinar grumbles grumpily.

~Yes, mom.~

Jolinar grumbles something more, but Sam ignores her and slowly she allows the fairly regular movements of the car to lull her to sleep.

* * *

Despite the state of the roads, it took little more than an hour before they reached the closed gas station and Teal'c stopped the car in front of it.

Sam groans as she wakes and looks bleary-eyed around in the darkness. It is only a little after four, and sunrise are hours away. "Oh, no, do I really have to get up now?" She asks out loud.

"You do not. I am perfectly capable of taking the supplies to our teammates and your father." Teal'c says, bemused.

Sam groans again. "Did I say that out loud? Of course I'm coming. I need to see how dad is doing!" She force herself to wake up and gets out of the car.

Jack is standing outside the gas station with his handgun, but relaxes when he sees who it is. "Welcome back. Took you a sweet time!"

"Sorry." Sam offers.

"Negotiations took longer than expected, but one of the locals sold us a vehicle," Teal'c told him.

"Yeah, I see that. Looks like a pile of junk, but as long as it'll run, all is well, I guess."

"How is dad?" Sam asks.

"He's asleep." Jack gets a worried expression. "He's not so good, Carter."

"We got some antibiotic. Hopefully it'll help." Sam says, hurrying back to get it, as well as a bottle of water and an energy bar. "Could someone heat some of the soup we got while I check on dad?"

"We should be careful about making a fire, Carter. Some hours before you guys returned, we heard another car. Don't know who it was, and they passed by this place without stopping, but I don't think we want to call attention to our presence. Whomever they were. In fact, I think we should get out of here as fast as possible."

"Okay, I'll hurry." Sam says, going inside the dark building. She turns on the flashlight they had bought together with some other stuff. She finds her dad half-lying against the wall, sitting in some hay that Jack and Daniel had found earlier. Daniel is sitting beside him, and they are both asleep. Her father's breathing is raspy. Worse than before. "Dad?" she whispers.

She holds a hand against his forehead. He is even hotter than before. Worried, she takes out the antibiotic, syringe, and the disinfection kit. Her dad moves a little in his sleep as she cleans a patch on his arm with the alcohol and then injects him with the antibiotics. Hopefully, it will help.

Meanwhile, Daniel wakes up, and looks at her with confusion. "Uh... Sam? Or Jolinar?"

"Yes." Sam confirms. "Sam. Jolinar's asleep. I'm letting her sleep. She's what has kept me going for the last long time, so she's even more exhausted than I am."

"You're back." He says, unnecessarily, clearly not completely awake.

"Yeah, a short while ago."

"Are you ready to move?" Jack asks, sticking his head in through the door. He takes a sip from a water bottle.

"Coming, coming!" Daniel says, trying to shake the sleepiness.

"I need help getting dad to the car. He won't wake up," Sam says, worried.

"Get to the car, Daniel. I'll help Carter."

Sam hands Daniel the water bottle she was carrying, and he gratefully drinks some of it. A bit more awake, he staggers out to the car where Teal'c is waiting.

Sam and Jack each take hold of one of Jacob's arms and haul him up, then half-carry him to the car. He wakes up, somewhat, as they load him into the backseat. Sam manages to get him to drink some water, and then he falls asleep again.

Soon they are all on their way in the car. Teal'c is driving again, and the others are soon asleep.

 


	25. Chapter 25

"How are you, dad?" Sam asks, handing her father a bottle of water when he had woken up, shortly after noon.

"Better." Jacob says, taking the water and draining much of the bottle. "I was just a bit dehydrated."

"I'm not surprised." Sam touches his forehead. "Fever is down. That's good. You were really hot earlier."

Not willing to discuss it, Jacob looks out the window. "How much further is it to whatever damn place it is we're going?"

"Almost 1000 miles," Daniel says. "It's near the border to Guatemala. The first place we're checking. There are more places all over the Yucatan."

Jacob snorts. "And you think this pile of junk is going to make it all the way?"

"Well be there in 24 hours if we drive with almost no breaks." Jack says.

"That's not going to make it any more likely this car will get us there!" Jacob complains, when they hit a large bump in the road. The car keeps going, though.

"We should take a break and get something to eat soon." Daniel suggests. "Looks like there's a somewhat larger town coming up. They probably have a restaurant."

"And we look like shit! Do you think they'll even serve us?" Jack asks. "We've walked through mud and water and dust!"

"He has a point. We should probably try get some clean clothes, and a bath somewhere. We look suspicious." Sam says.

"Right. Okay, and we probably should get some local currency instead of using dollars," Jacob says. "Find a bank as soon as we have made ourselves presentable."

Sam smiles, noticing her dad is handing out orders without thinking. "You're feeling better, dad!"

"Of course. I just needed a nap."

She rolls her eyes, but feels relieved, even though she knows his dad feeling better will not last. Unless they get to the Tok'ra soon. Jolinar gives her a hug.

* * *

They had found a store that sold clothes, and after dusting off the worst from the clothes they wore, they had gone inside and bought new, clean clothes for all of them.

"I saw a sign a mile or so back, pointing to a full-service camping spot. They should have showers and stuff." Sam says.

"Let's go check it out," Jack decides.

"Agreed." Jacob adds. He coughs a little.

Sam notices her dad looks tired, but still immensely better than the day before. He had gotten another shot of the antibiotic, and it had worked amazingly.

It turned out there was indeed showers, and for a small price all of them got a hot shower. After changing to the clean clothes, all felt much better.

"Now we should go find that restaurant!" Jack says.

* * *

It was early evening when they were approaching the city of Monterrey. Jack was hesitant of driving into any large cities, but they were all exhausted, since the only sleep they had gotten was in the car.

Sam was again worried for her dad, a worry they all shared, so the silent agreement was to try and find a hotel to stay in for the night, and then leave again early morning.

"It was a good thing we cleaned up before going here - we'd have drawn too much attention looking like something the cat dragged in!" Jack says as they drive slowly through the streets of the large city.

 **~It is a _huge_ city!~** Jolinar observes. ~ **Much larger than Colorado Springs - or any other human dwelling I have ever been to before!~**

~Yeah, I think there's more than a million people here, just in the city proper. Maybe 4-5 million in the metro area. It's the capital of the Mexican state of Nuevo León.~

~ **So much light! So many extremely tall buildings! And so incredibly many humans in one place!~** Jolinar marvels. **~How strange a place your world is!~**

~I realize how different this is to most other worlds. We have rarely been to a planet that had more than smaller towns and villages. But this is were humanity come from, so it makes sense there are so many more.~

~ **There is also the fact that you have been free of the Goa'uld for millennia. Well, mostly free. Those worlds who like yours has been freed a long time ago, have larger populations than the others. Well, some are still only a small number of villages.~** Jolinar sighs. ~ **I sometimes worry about what will become of the many slave worlds when they are freed. Many of them are kept so completely uneducated, many are so specialized in just mining or just agriculture of a specific type of harvest, that those worlds may not survive without the Goa'uld. How to educate them, change them, so they can survive for long enough to stand on their own. It is a difficult question.~**

~You're right. It's also not something we have thought about a lot, but I can see how a small society dedicate entirely to mining gold or naquadah, and getting all the food off world, will not know how to survive if the 'gods' are not bringing them food. They will also not know how to rule themselves, and all may end in chaos if they are not allowed to develop leadership slowly.~ Sam realizes.

"Hey! Sam!" Daniel snaps his fingers before her. "Earth to Sam!"

"What?" She looks up. "Sorry, I was talking to Jolinar.

"That was obvious!" Jacob snorts. "We've been trying to get your attention for several minutes!"

"We've arrived at our hotel." Daniel smiles at her. "Come."

* * *

 **~This is wonderful!~** Jolinar remarks, when they are standing under the shower and allowing copious amounts of clean, warm water to flow down their body. **~Now, if there was just a pool to relax in afterwards, all would be perfect!~**

Sam chuckles mentally, since Jolinar has control. ~I agree! This is great!~

Later, Jolinar finishes the shower reluctantly, turns of the water, and grabs a towel to dry off. After brushing their teeth and using the toilet, she walks out of the bathroom and to the combined living room and bedroom, and throws aside the blankets and throws herself on the bed.

~Hey, nightclothes! Remember? We've been over this!~ Sam tells her, knowing Jolinar likes to sleep in the nude.

~ **You do not mind usually.~**

~When we are alone. What if someone knocks on the door or somehow opens it? This is a hotel, not our private place.~

Jolinar rolls her eyes but gets up and grabs a pair of panties and a clean t-shirt. **~Happy?~**

~Very.~

Jolinar turns on the television and switches between a few stations. ~ **Nothing interesting. I do not understand why your kind seems to like spending so much time watching this box.~**

~Well, me neither, but I am hardly normal in that manner. I'm sure the Colonel could tell you why it's great to watch Simpsons or hockey.~

~ **Maybe I will ask them.~** Jolinar yawns. She switches off the television and goes to the bed, and crawls under the blankets. **~Good night.~**

~Good night.~

They are soon asleep.

 


	26. Chapter 26

Sam has just finished packing what little stuff she has, when it knocks on the door, frantically. She grabs her handgun and hides it in the back of her pants, then goes to open. Outside is Daniel.

"Daniel?" She asks.

"Sam! We're leaving! Quickly!" He pants.

"Why?" Sam asks, but she grabs her bag anyway. "I was just about to join you guys for breakfast."

"Yeah, we're checking out and eating somewhere else!"

Sam swings the backpack on her shoulders and closes the door after her. She walks fast with Daniel to the stairs, then run down together with him. "What happened?"

"We're on the news! As wanted criminals!" Daniel tells her.

"What? They wouldn't do that!" Sam exclaims.

"Clearly they did. They must _really_ want us! Or you and Jack, at least!"

Without any further discussion, they got downstairs where Jack met them. "I've checked out for us all. Teal'c and your dad is already outside in the car. Just drop the key at the reception. I paid the clerk there some money to look the other way, but we want to be out of here before someone else shows up!"

* * *

A very short time later they were all back in the car, and driving down the street.

"Damn!" Jack swears. "That's just what we needed! Traffic jam!"

"Perhaps we can get around it..." Daniel suggests.

"There is a smaller street to the right. Perhaps we can use that," Teal'c says.

"Doesn't look like it's open at the end, but I guess we can try." Jack turns the car into the smaller street.

"You're right, it looks closed at the end." Sam says.

"Maybe that alley?" Daniel points ahead.

Muttering something, Jack drives down the narrow alley Daniel indicated. It's really narrow, and there are containers along one of the sides. It's clearly not really meant for driving through.

"All right, guys! Get out and move that junk up ahead, or we're not going any further!" Jack orders.

Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c get out and start moving aside some boxes that has fallen and is blocking the road. When they are half-finished a group of suspicious looking men appear from a door, and points their weapons at SG-1.

"Hands up! Hand over your money, or we shoot!" The leader of the gang says.

"This is a mistake," Teal'c tells him.

"No mistake. Money, American!" He threatens.

Sam's eyes flash a strong golden as Jolinar takes over control. " **Leave us now! Or you _will_ regret it!" ** She flashes her eyes again, just for effect.

Their attackers shout something in Spanish and runs off.

"Nice, Jolinar!" Daniel says.

"Very," Jack agrees, putting his sidearm away again. "Now clear the road before more hoodlums appear!"

* * *

About an hour later, they have managed to navigate small alleyways to avoid the traffic jam and have made it out of the city.

"Time to find some small place and buy some breakfast!" Jacob suggests. He has been napping for the last hour or so, and looks much better. Having slept in an actual bed last night wad clearly good for him.

"Agreed, but I'd like to put some distance between us and the city first - who knows if the guy at the hotel or someone else has called in that they saw us!" Jack says. "There's some protein bars in the glove compartment, I think. Teal'c?"

"Affirmative." Teal'c takes out the protein bars and hands one to each.

Munching slowly, they continue on.

* * *

They had driven the whole day, with only short breaks for food or to use the bathroom. The sun had just set, and a short time ago they had passed Mexico City.

"Do we find a place to stay tonight, or do we continue on?" Daniel asks.

"We continue. The longer we take to get to where we are going, the more we risk being discovered." Jack says. "If we drive all night, we'll be almost where we want to be."

They had thought they were maybe in the clear, but there had been pictures of them on an American news station that was shown in the most recent roadside restaurant where they had eaten, so they had all been reminded that the danger was not over.

"You're sure you know where we're going?" Jacob asks, tiredly. "I mean, more precisely than Yucatan."

"We're going to start by looking at an area fairly close to where Hathor's sarcophagus was found," Sam says. She looks at her dad. While his pneumonia seems mostly gone, he's clearly not well, and this long journey is not helping. He gets tired much faster than he usually does.

"Right," Daniel says, never happy when her name is mentioned. "I agree that is makes sense that there could be other Goa'uld technology there. It's on the list of places we wanted to check, but we never got around to it."

"Well, Jolinar should be able to determine fairly quickly if there is a ship there," Sam says. "So it's a good place to start."

* * *

"More coffee?" Daniel asks.

~ **No, you have had enough!~** Jolinar insists.

"Jolinar says no," Sam says with a grin.

"If you guys are finished eating, then let's get going. We need to buy supplies before we're heading out into the jungle, and probably find a different car." Jack says.

"A jeep would probably be best," Jacob suggests.

"Agreed." Jack sighs. "At least we haven't seen any signs the people down here have heard of us. That's something."

"Doesn't mean we're safe," Jacob reminds him. He coughs and quickly drains the rest of his coffee. He looks hard at Sam, daring her to say anything. "Come on!"

* * *

~I really hope the Tok'ra healers can do something for dad - or that he'll accept to become a host.~ Sam observes, surreptitiously looking at her dad who is sitting in the shadow on some old rubble. ~For him to admit weakness to the point where he will sit and rest in the middle of the day, it means he must be fealing even weaker than he looks.~

~ **I can only assure you that our healers are very skilled, Samantha.~** Jolinar *hugs* her.

"Sensing anything?" Jack shouts at them, as he walks towards them.

They arrived at the first site where Daniel and Jolinar thinks there could be something, a couple hours ago.

"Not yet. Jolinar wants me to remind you that the ruins cover a large area, and that the amount of naquadah in a small ship, such as a, a _teltac_ \- that's a kind of small cargo ship I think - is not enough for her to sense more than maybe a few hundred feet away, at least not if it's underground." Sam says.

"Okay, anything else? Does she recognize anything? See something that could point to Goa'uld tech being here?" Jack asks.

Sam looks around, but there is no one there but them. She dips her head, letting Jolinar take control.

" **I have not been here previously, as I believe I have already told you, Jack. However, I think my queen-mother's mother visited some of the Goa'uld settlements in Central America. Briefly."**

"Your grandmother was here?" Jack asks.

" **Yes. Well, maybe not here exactly, but... somewhere nearby."** She frowns. " **It is far back in my genetic memory, hidden among other, ah, unpleasant things. She was not a nice person. Not one of the worst, but she did some... horrible things.** "

"Yeah, I don't think I want to hear about that." Jack grimaces. "I'm sorry you have to look at it. But please, try and see if you can remember anything useful."

Jolinar nods. " **I will. I am trying. Being here helps. The heat, humidity, sounds... and in particular the smell of the specific plants here... helps the memories come forth."**

"Yup, it tends to work that way. Don't ask me why." Jack says.

"Something about the olfactory nerve being close to the area of the brain that is associated with memories," Daniel says. "I read that somewhere. Also, something about smell being controlled by the oldest most primitive part of the brain, that is the same in all vertebrates. Well, at least on Earth."

Jolinar grins. " **It would seem to be the same elsewhere, which is hardly surprising, given that the Ancients and some of the other original four powerful races have manipulated life in this Galaxy extensively. Even recreated it."**

"What!?" Daniel exclaims at the same time as Jack.

~What?!" Sam repeats mentally.

Jolinar frowns. " **You did not know? The Asgard, the Ancients, the Nox, and the Furling - the four great races that once controlled everything in this Galaxy?"**

"We... only know a little of it. Like that there were humans on many worlds and that life in many places seems extremely similar, as if it has been transplanted, or the planets terraformed. But we thought the Goa'uld had done that." Daniel says.

**"The Goa'uld _have_ moved humans around to many worlds, and are the main cause of that. Some of the terraforming was done by the Goa'uld as well, and my species has also taken many plants and animals from this world to others. However, many worlds were terraformed even before that, and much of the life across the Galaxy shares a common ancestry, even that which was not taken from here by the Goa'uld. Have you never wondered why humans and symbiote has so compatible code of life? Why queens can even take human code of life and incorporate it into their young, without problem?"**

"Uh, that part I kinda try not to think about..." Daniel says.

~I think there is a lot we want to know about the Galaxy! The Tok'ra can teach us so much! Jolinar, our two people _have_ to meet and become friends!~ Sam insists.

~ **We will make sure that happens!~** Jolinar promises. While she has talked, she has been slowly walking along the wall of a fairly intact pyramid. She suddenly stops. ~ **Do you sense that?~**

~What?~

**"There is a faint naquadah signature here!"**

~Right, I'm sensing it now.~

"A ship?" Jack asks.

Jolinar shakes her head. " **I do not believe so. It is something smaller. Inside, I believe."**

"This pyramid has been opened and studied. They only found a short corridor and a small chamber inside, with nothing in it." Daniel tells her, holding up notes he has brought.

" **I believe they may have missed something. We should examine it more thoroughly."**

"We're not allowed to go inside. It's closed." Daniel says, pointing to the entrance that has been blocked with a wooden door and a large lock.

" **There is no one here, correct?"** Jolinar asks, picking up a crowbar they have bought.

"Well, no, but... Whoa!" Daniel exclaims.

Jolinar unceremoniously breaks the door open with a loud crack, forcing it open in the middle between two planks.

Jack shrugs. "Well, the door is open. T - keep guard!"

"I will, O'Neill." Teal'c says. "You should remain sitting, General Carter." He tells Jacob, who stands to follow.

"Yes, wait here, dad!" Sam says, having been given control from Jolinar. "It's just a dark, dank corridor! We'll fetch you if there's anything interesting."

 


	27. Chapter 27

Armed with a flashlight and a crowbar, Sam/Jolinar, Jack, and Daniel walk through the short corridor to the small chamber inside.

"Doesn't look particularly Goa'uld," Daniel observes.

" **It is not."** Jolinar says. " **I believe this pyramid is a later addition, made by humans in the same style as their 'gods'."**

"So we won't find anything of worth in here?" Jack asks.

" **There is something made of naquadah in here."**

"Maybe the people here kept some artifacts from the Goa'uld? They could have thought they were holy, perhaps," Daniel suggests.

Jolinar walks up to a specific spot in the wall and starts searching. After a few moments, she uses the crowbar to remove some of the clay that has been used to plaster the walls, and the outline of a door becomes visible. She doesn't hesitate but uses the crowbar to yank it open.

Jack and Jolinar both shine light from their flashlights at the small room inside. It contains several large pots and jars that are standing on the floor, as well as a roughly made table, and a number of shelves. The shelves are full of boxes and pots.

" **The naquadah signature is coming from in there."** Jolinar says, stepping inside.

Jack follows, hesitantly.

"Wow! What a find!" Daniel exclaims, sticking his head inside too. He steps inside, even if there is not really much room for that many people.

"What gives off the naquadah signature?" Jack asks.

" **Fortunately not one of the jars - one of them is a stasis jar, but it is empty."** Jolinar says, having picked it up. **"There is still a naquadah source in the lid, though."**

"Stasis jar?" Daniel wonders. "It looks like a canopic jar!"

" **They are used to keep symbiotes in stasis for vast amounts of time, usually as punishment, though it can be out of necessity as well, if there are no suitable hosts available, for instance."**

"And that one was, uh, previously inhabited?" Daniel asks, shuddering.

" **Yes, but it seem it was opened a very long time ago. Probably when this place was in use."**

"That was many centuries ago!" Daniel says. "This place has not been in use for almost a thousand years."

"Does that mean there might be a snakehead running around here on Earth?" Jack asks.

Jolinar raises an eyebrow at him, amused at his choice of words. " **Possibly."** She sobers. " **Likely. He or she would have taken new hosts when needed. Goa'uld are not good at living inconspicuous lives. You should look for him or her among either cult leaders or very powerful, rich persons."**

"Wonderful!" Jack moans. "I guess we better find a way to warn Stargate Command - later."

" **It is not an immediate problem. While it is worrisome to have a Goa'uld 'on the loose' on your world, he or she will not be likely to change their strategy suddenly and reveal themselves. It is a matter for later."** She puts the empty stasis jar down, then grabs a box from one of the shelves, and opens it. " **This is what I sensed."** She removes a healing device and a hand device from the box.

"That's one of those ribbon devices the Goa'uld use! It's a weapon!" Jack says.

" **It is. The other device is for healing, and may come in handy. So will the kara'kesh - the ribbon device, as you call it. Depending on whether or not my base has moved, we may have to search for them - which means I may have to pretend to be a Goa'uld. In that case, the kara'kesh is useful."**

"Okay, whatever." Jack sighs. "What now? I'm assuming there's no ship here?"

" **There is not. However, this is just one of many places around here. The actual pyramid that Hathor's sarcophagus was found under is located some distance from here, is it not?"**

"Wheren't we supposed to be looking at that first?"

"It's the right location, but the area with the Mayan - and Goa'uld - ruins is pretty vast. This is just the outskirts of it. And there are several more scattered across the peninsula." Daniel says.

"Wonderful. Lead the way." Jack says to Jolinar.

Jolinar pockets the hand device and the healing device and exits the small chamber.

* * *

They can only drive some of the way to the next, larger field of ruins. The last couple miles or so they have to walk.

It is late afternoon and very hot and humid, and the jungle is not so easy to walk through. Everything is very overgrown. Sam throws worried glances at her father now and then.

They are carrying all their stuff along - what little there is of it, expecting to make a camp when they get to the pyramid field, as it will take a few days to go over, even with the help of Jolinar's ability to sense naquadah.

~Jolinar, that healing device... what can it do?~

~ **It cannot heal your father's cancer, if that is what you want to know. The healing device is mainly meant to use against physical injuries, and for that it is quite effective - particularly if the one using it is skilled.~**

~So it may be a very useful thing for us to have with us, given the situation.~ Sam observes, sounding sad that it cannot heal her dad.

 **~While it cannot heal Jacob, it can, however, slow down his cancer, and strengthen him. I will attempt to do so this evening.~** Jolinar promises.

~Thank you!~ Sam tells her, gratefully.

They continue on, and eventually reaches the next large field of pyramids. By now it is starting to become dark.

"Let's set up camp!" Jack says, looking around. "It would be nice to get inside - it looks like it will rain."

"It rains almost every night here," Daniel observes. "We could use one of the better preserved ruins." He looks at his map. "This field has not been mapped more than cursory, but the pyramid Hathor was hidden under is some one mile to the east."

Jack swears as he spots a huge spider on his arm, and shakes it off. "Let's not go there right now. It's better to wait until it is light - no way to see all the snakes and spiders that roam all over this place!"

"There's an almost-whole building over there." Daniel points through the rapidly falling darkness. "We can at least get a roof over our head there."

"Okay, let's do that." Jack decides.

* * *

"You okay like this, dad?" Sam asks, when they have set up the camp, and gotten something to eat. They only have blankets to wrap themselves in, but Jacob has been given two - one to lie on and another to wrap around himself.

"I'll be fine, Sam. I've slept under much worse conditions."

Sam nods. "I know. It's just..." She shakes her head, knowing there is no use in arguing. "Liste, Jolinar would like to try something. She found a healing device back in the pyramid we checked out before. She thinks she can use it to help you somewhat."

"I don't need any help. I just need to get some sleep!" Jacob insists.

Sam dips her head, letting Jolinar come fore.

" **Please allow me to help you, sir. It is for everyone's benefit that you are strong - the more people who are able to help search this area, or keep guard, the better."**

"And you don't think I can do that?" Jacob asks, some anger in his voice. He sighs. "All right, maybe you're right. Try it, then!"

Jolinar nods and puts on her healing device. She allows it to turn on and then let's the beam of light run over Jacob, looking for the spots that need attention the most. She focuses and begins the work.

Jacob makes a sound as if some pain has lessened.

~He was in pain?~

~ **Quite a lot. It should be less now, and for at least several days. Then we need to repeat the treatment. Samantha, from what I can tell, his disease is quite far gone. If the Tok'ra healers are to be able to do something, it must be soon!~**

~Damn! Why is my dad always so stubborn? Why didn't he say something? I would never have let him come if I knew this!~

~ **And that is probably one of the large reasons why he said nothing.~** Jolinar tells her, as she continues using the healing device to give Jacob some more strength.

 


	28. Chapter 28

They worked for the entire next day, and the day after that, slowly and methodically working their way through the large field with the ruins. Everything was covered by plants, some more than others, so that made it more difficult.

"It doesn't look like it's even around here!" Jack grumbles, when they are sitting around the campfire in the evening.

"Maybe we should continue on and see if one of the other fields further to the north-west is better?" Daniel suggests. "There are many many more."

"Not yet..." Sam says. She dips her head, giving Jolinar control.

" **I saw something this afternoon which I think I remember. The large pyramid we found under the greenery has a relief over the door. My queen-mother's mother used that door regularly, I am almost certain of it!"**

 **"** Please just call her your grandmother, Jolly!" Jack says, smiling.

" **My grandmother, then, as you wish."** Jolinar sighs. " **And I asked you not to call me that while you were my host!"**

"Why? It's a cute name!" Jack grins. "Okay, I'll _try_ not to!"

Jolinar rolls her eyes at him. " **Thank you! Well, as I said, I recognize the relief over the entrance to the large pyramid. I believe it is worth investigating tomorrow."  
**

"Did you sense naquadah?" Tealc asks.

**"No, but as I have told you before, I need to get withina few hundred feet to sense the naquadah of even something as large as a teltac. If it is deep underground, or within a structure where the walls contain something that blocks the signal - maybe a lot closer. The pyramid itself appears to be at least 700-800 feet wide, and since it was probably a palace, the ship would not have been in it. Possibly on a small shipyard behind it, as that was and is common when a palace is located far from the chaapa'ai."  
**

"Okay, that makes sense," Jack says.

"It does, but the entrance looked completely sealed, and the pyramid and everything behind it is covered with plants." Daniel points out.

"Let's get something to eat, and then some sleep. It sounds like there is a lot of work waiting for us tomorrow." Jack decides.

* * *

"The door is made of stone, and completely flush with the frame," Daniel says, studying the entrance to the pyramid - or palace, perhaps, if Jolinar is correct.

" **Let me take a look,"** Jolinar says.

The others step aside, and Jolinar starts studying the door and the frame, and sliding her hands along it.

"Anything?" Jack asks, curiously.

" **I think..."** She searches for a moment longer, then suddenly push and twist a small figure of a bat. The door slides aside noiselessly.

"Yes!" Jack exclaims happily.

 **"The Goa'uld that lived here is called Camazotz. He is a very minor Goa'uld now, but back when my... grandmother lived here, he was one of Ra's more powerful vassals. He likes bats, and uses one as a symbol for his Jaffa."** Jolinar tells them.

"Let's get a torch, and then see what's inside!" Daniel says, eagerly.

"There wouldn't be traps or anything?" Jack asks.

 **"No, why?"** Jolinar wonders.

"Like in the Indiana Jones movies, you know."

Jolinar smiles, as Sam quickly fills her in. " **No, and no curses either. There is nothing supernatural here. It was a palace, built by the Goa'uld. Nothing strange."**

"Something built by aliens on Earth, thousands of years in the past, would pretty much fulfill what anyone thinks of as 'strange'," Jacob offers.

**"Where you not going to get some rest?" Jolinar asks.**

"And let the rest of you have all the fun?" Jacob grins.

"We located some suitable branches to use as torches," Teal'c says.

He and Daniel hands the branches to the others, and they light them before entering the palace.

Along the walls are torch-holders, and there are torches in them. Jolinar holds her branch to the first one, and the fire immediately spreads to the others.

"Whoa!" Jack exclaims, behind her.

" **It is not real torches - or at least they are not made by wood. I have seen them, quite rarely, but some Goa'uld favour them, for a traditional touch. They are electric, powered by a naquadah plant somewhere, but can be turned on by holding a heat source nearby."**

"Okay, that's just weird!" Jack says.

"But at least it proves this is a Goa'uld palace, and not a human one." Daniel observes, as they walk along the corridors.

* * *

 **"Naquadah."** Jolinar says.

"A ship?" Jack asks.

 **"I believe not. Probably something smaller."** She walks up to the nearest door and opens it by touching a bat-symbol on the wall.

They have walked around in the palace for more than an hour, finding lots and lots of room, many very elaborately decorated with gold and jewels. And everywhere there are electric light and air condition. And hieroglyphs on some of the walls, in between of silk curtains and figurines of semi-precious stones, and paintings in the roof and sometimes on the walls.

Many of the rooms have contained things that gave off weak naqaudah energy signatures, and they have often had to investigate. They had even found a room with a stasis jar on a shelf! Jolinar had said it was inhabited, and that the Goa'uld inside was a minor nobody. She recognized his name, Acan, and remembered he had seduced her grandmother. Since she was a queen, the attentions of a minor Goa'uld had inflamed Ra and several of the higher System Lords, and as punishment he had been removed from his host and placed in a stasis jar.

They had now been through about half of the large palace.

"This is unbelievable!" Jacob says, a repeat of his words several times as they have walked through the corridors.

"It is in Goa'uld style," Teal'c observes.

"Yeah, but I haven't been off world, and this is on Earth!"

"He's right," Daniel says. "I don't know what I would have done if I had found this before I knew about the Stargate!"

"I'm pretty sure someone will seal this place as soon as it is found," Jack observes drily. "And make anyone who sees it sign non-disclosure agreements. What's behind door number... oh, one hundred or so?"

"Eighty-seven," Teal'c says.

"Really? You counted?" Jack looks at the Jaffa.

 **"A ring transporter!"** Jolinar says, when she has turned on the light there as well. This time by touching a symbol on the wall.

"Where does it lead?" Daniel wonders.

"Let's find out," Jack says. "Not all of us. Jolinar, Teal'c, and me."

"Aww, Jaack!" Daniel complains.

"Non-negotiable, Daniel. Sir, keep an eye on the place!" He tells Jacob and step into the center of the rings. "T - come here. Jolinar - activate them."

Jacob looks on in shock as rings moments later rises from the floor to encircle Jack, Teal'c, and Sam/Jolinar and then a flash of light is seen. The rings come down again - and the people are gone.

"Where did they go?" Jacob asks.

"Probably to some underground room." Daniel says. "Don't worry. It's harmless."

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

The rings deposits Sam/Jolinar, Jack, and Teal'c in a room deep under the palace. The light comes on almost immediately.

"Whoa!" Jack looks around. "Large room - with nothing in it. Lots of doors leading out, though."

"Probably to storage rooms." Teal'c suggests.

" **I agree."** Jolinar says. " **However, we want to go straight ahead. I sense a stronger naqaudah signature there."**

"Ships?" Jack asks.

" **Very possibly."** Jolinar says.

They open the door ahead and walk down a long corridor, which inclines upward slowly. When they open the door at the end, they step out into a large room - a hangar, clearly.

"Nice!" Jack exclaims. "There are several of those deathgliders! And a few other small craft."

"The deathgliders are not capable of interstellar flight." Teal'c tells him. "They are mostly for combat."

" **Correct. They would run out of air and other supplies before reaching another star, as they are purely sublight. Of course, it would then take years to travel interstellar, even if there** ** _were_** **enough supplies for it."**

"Yeah, yeah... what about the other ships?" Jack asks, slowly walking towards them.

" **Shuttles.** " Jolinar says. " **Used for ferrying people to and from the chaapa'ai and a location far form it on a world. Some are capable of travelling through the chaapa'ai as well."**

"Neat. I wouldn't mind if Stargate Command had a few of those!" Jack says.

**"They probably will, when they learn of this place."**

"But nothing in here is capable of interstellar flight?" Jack asks, unhappily.

" **Not that I have seen yet..."** Jolinar walks past the rows of deathgliders, and spots something partly hidden. " **Or maybe there is!"** She smiles as she hurries to the ship. " **A teltac!"**

"Goa'uld cargo ship." Teal'c translates.

"It can get us to the Tok'ra?" Jack looks to Jolinar.

She nods. " **Yes, if it is in working condition, but it looks to be. I just need to check it."**

"Right. It's been standing here for a couple thousand years or more. I guess it might not work anymore." Jack says.

**"It probably does. Goa'uld technology is made to last. With the expected natural lifespan of above 10000 years that my kind have, it would not make sense to make something that breaks after a few months, would it?"**

"Well, no, it wouldn't." Jack admits. "How old _are_ you?"

Jolinar grins. " **I have been told one does not ask about a lady's age, but... if you want to know, I am nearly 2000 years - in your years. I am the second oldest of the Tok'ra, with only Selmak being older."**

"Wow, you must have seen a lot!" Jack says, watching as Jolinar opens a door into the teltac.

" **I have."** She smiles and enters the ship.

Teal'c remains outside to keep guard - not that there appears to be anything that gieves a reason for it. Jack enters after Jolinar.

* * *

"Does it work?" Jack asks after a while, when he has watched Jolinar open small doors in the wall and look at crystals, then go to what is obviously the control room and cockpit.

" **I believe so..."** Jolinar has activated the panels and are looking at read-outs. " **Yes. Everything seems to be in order. All we need are supplies, since it did not seem to have been loaded."**

"Great! Awesome! So - how do we get it out of here? Does the roof retract or something?"

" **Yes, usually either that, or there is an exit tunnel. I shall find out, and then we should go fetch our things, the supplies - and our friends."**

Jolinar deactivates the ship and they leave.

Jack gives Teal'c a thumbs-up when they exit. "Ship should be A-okay!"

"That is good to hear, O'Neill," Teal'c says.

They starts the walk back to the transportation rings.

* * *

"Dad?" Sam asks to the empty room, when they are deposited by the ring transporters.

"Daniel?" Jack calls out. "Dammit! I told them to stay here!"

"Maybe Daniel just went to check out one of the other rooms?" Sam suggests, concerned.

"I wouldn't put it beyond him! But your dad seems a more sensible type!"

"That's just because you don't know him like I do." Sam mumbles.

~ **I am certain they just went to one of the nearby rooms. There is probably nothing to worry about,"** Jolinar tries to reassure her host.

A noise is heard, followed by a cry and then some more commotion, as if from people fighting.

"Damn!" Jack exclaims, and they all start running in the direction of the noise at the same time.

Jolinar has taken over control, and finishes putting on her hand device when they get to the room they heard the noise from.

"Daniel? General?" Jack calls out from the corridor outside the now silent room.

 **"There is someone with a symbiote in there..."** Jolinar tells him and Teal'c in a low voice.

" **Your friends cannot answer you. _Jack_!" ** a voice taunts them from inside.

Jack swears in a low voice and sticks his head around the corner and looks into the room. He pulls it back immediately when a machinegun fires at him.

" **Careful."** Jolinar says.

"I _know_!" Jack grumbles. "It's Maybourne. But apparently there's a snake in him."

"Are there anyone else in the room?" Teal'c asks.

"Daniel and Jacob Carter - both tied up from what it looks. Probably okay, Carter." Jack assures Sam. "One other guy on the floor, seems to be dead. Probably one of Maybourne's men that the Goa'uld decided to off."

" **Daniel and Jacob are both on the floor?"** Jolinar asks.

"Yes." Jack says. "Over in the right side."

"It is unfortunate we have no weapons beside handguns." Teal'c observes.

" **We do."** Jolinar says and jumps out in front of the door opening, immediately firing off a strong shockwave into the room, hitting everything standing and sending it flying.

The Goa'uld hits the wall, his shots from the machine gun going wide. Jolinar charges into the room, while he is still dazed, and is upon him before he can get his bearings back.

Jack and Teal'c follows, and have their handguns out and pointing at the Goa'uld, who now have Jolinar sitting on him, having a tug-of-war for his machinegun.

"Hands up, Maybourne - or whomever you are!" Jack orders.

The Goa'uld flashes his eyes angrily, but admit defeat, letting Jolinar take his machine gun.

" **Acan, I presume?"** Jolinar snarls at him.

" **Yes. _Jolinar_! A traitor, if I understand correctly?" ** Acan answers.

"She's Tok'ra," Jack tells him.

" **I have no idea who they are, but if they are against Ra, they are stupid. They will never succeed."** Acan says.

" **Ra is dead."** Jolinar tells him.

"Killed by yours truly." Jack grins.

A moan from where Daniel and Jacob are lying calls back the attention to them. Jolinar wacks the Goa'uld over the head, causing him to lose consciousness. " **Someone tie up this idiot while I check on Samantha's father and Daniel."**

Teal'c grabbed Acan none too gently and pulled him aside. Finding a long piece of rope-like material that had been used to pull a curtain before a small ante-chamber, he took that and used it to tie up Acan tightly.

Meanwhile, Jack and Jolinar had hurried to Jacob and Daniel's side.

"Dad?" Sam asks, nervous, after Jolinar gives her control.

He does not react, and he has a nasty wound in the head, and a gunshot wound in his upper right leg. She quickly touches his neck and finds a weak pulse. She frantically cuts the tight ropes and gives Jolinar control. She switches to her healing device and start using it.

"How is he?" Jack asks, kneeling beside Daniel.

" **Not good."** Jolinar answers, concentrated on her healing.

Daniel on the other hand is half-conscious, and wakes when Jack talk to him.

"Daniel?"

"Mmmm, yes..." he groans. "My head hurts!"

Jack checks. "You've got a small bump on the head."

"Yes..." Daniel tries to remember.

"What happened?" Jack asks, as he uses a knife to cut his ropes.

"We heard something... and decided to investigate." Daniel says, accepting the water Jack offers him from his water canteen.

"Maybourne and his men." Jack says.

"Yes. I... we tried to run, since we didn't have any weapons. Jacob tripped, and when I was helping him up, one of Maybourne's people hit me over the head. I don't know what happened after that."

"Don't worry about it." Jack says, getting up. "I'll go see if there are more bad guys."

"I shall accompany you, O'Neill." Teal'c says.

"Will you be all right?" Jack asks Jolinar.

She nods. " **Yes."  
**

The question is; will Jacob be all right?

 


	30. Chapter 30

"There's no one else here - that are alive, that is." Jack says unhappy as he walks into the room with Jolinar and the others again "There's four dead bodies further down the corridor - and the stasis jar we found earlier is empty, of course."

" **Understood."** Jolinar looks exhausted, and she allows the healing device to turn off.

"How is he?" Jack asks.

" **I have healed the wound in his leg, and attempted to heal the head injury. He was hit with something sharp and pointed, like a ceremonial axe, perhaps."** She shakes her head. " **The injuries are too extreme for me to heal. Every time I knit together some of the blood vessels in his brain, some others start bleeding. Even if I could do it, I am afraid he would get lasting damages. No, he needs a sarcophagus."**

"A sarcophagus? Hathor was found in one in her chamber. Do you think there could be one in this palace?" Jack asks.

" **Possibly. Samantha and I had just decided to search for one."**

"There is a lot of the place we haven't looked at yet." Daniel says, from where he is half-sitting, feeling somewhat better.

" **I cannot do more for Jacob, but if there is a sarcophagus, it can heal him."** Jolinar says.

"We'll help you look." Jack says.

"Of course." Teal'c adds.

Jolinar gives Sam control, and she sadly presses a kiss to his cheek and then gets up. "Let's find a damn sarcophagus!"

* * *

**~There is something naquadah powered in the next room.~** Jolinar tells Sam.

~Probably just a computer, or some sort of tool.~ Sam replies wearily. They have checked many such naquadah signatures in the almost one hour they have searched the palace, on each floor. ~It's one of the last rooms we haven't checked, though.~

Sam opens the door, and there it is.

~ **A sarcophagus.~**

Sam feels an extreme relief. ~Let's get dad here quickly!~

* * *

~What are you concerned about?~ Sam asks, when they sit against the wall in the sarcophagus room, waiting for the device to heal Jacob. ~You said it would almost certainly be able to heal him.~

Sam felt fear that it might not heal him.

~ **It will heal him. The thing is; the Tok'ra do not use the sarcophagus.~**

~Why not? I'd think you'd find it useful, since your people are often on dangerous missions.~

~ **True, but there is a reason we do not. It... damages your kalash. Your soul. It drains the good from your heart.~**

~What? You're kidding, right? I mean, how could it even do that?~

**~There are side effects, which Telchak, the Goa'uld who made the sarcophagus by utilizing Ancient technology, was unable to remove. Or maybe he did not care to do so. Possibly the power from it is simply too strong for mere mortals, like humans and symbiotes. Using the sarcophagus often, particularly when it is not needed, causes changes to your personality. It makes you feel powerful, strong, invincible. Megalomaniac even, in time. It is certainly part of why the Goa'uld are as evil and powerhungry as they are.~**

~That's horrible! Is it reversible?~

~ **Eventually, at least if it has not gone for too long. I... was briefly addicted to using a sarcophagus, which almost every System Lord has been. Egeria helped me out of the addiction, and I had not used it long enough for the changes to be permanent. Weaning yourself from using it is extremely unpleasant, with delusions, pain, an inability in your body to function properly. Sometimes addicts die before they are weaned from the sarcophagus. Because of all this, the Tok'ra do not use the sarcophagus. Because of the temptation, we do not even keep one to use in cases of emergency. If someone should secretly become addicted, they would be untrustworthy, and perhaps turn us over to the Goa'uld.~**

I understand.~ Sam shuddered. ~But just using it once, when it is needed - that will not cause any insanity, will it?~

~ **No, using it once, or a few times when it is needed, is not dangerous. It will possibly affect you temporarily, but nothing majorly. The danger is from repeated use, especially when there is no need.~**

~Okay. Good.~ Sam relaxes. ~How long before it has finished healing dad?~

~ **I am not sure. I believe it should finish soon. And he will be fully cured, Samantha. His cancer will be gone too.~**

~Really?~ Sam sounds elated. ~I didn't dare hope for that!~

* * *

Jack comes into the room, half-carrying Daniel, just as the top of the sarcophagus opened. "Teal'c is guarding Maybourne - or whatever the snakes name is."

"Dad?" Sam asks, anxiously walking up to the sarcophagus.

Jacob slowly sits up in the sarcophagus, looking very groggy. "Sam?"

She smiles widely. "I'm here, dad!"

She helps him step out of the sarcophagus. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm, I'm feeling pretty good." He smiles. "Better than I have in a long time, actually!"

"That's great!" Sam hugs him. "Jolinar wants to check you out with the healing device later, but she thinks you should be cured as well as healed."

**~I am certain of it.~**

"Sorry, she is _certain_ of it!"

Jacob grins. "Good to hear!"

Jack gets Daniel into the sarcophagus, and it closes over him before Sam can say anything. "Wait..."

"What?" Jack asks.

"Uh, Jolinar says the sarcophagus has side effects if used too often."

"Daniel hasn't used it since, well, okay, since a couple months ago. And that was one time. And on Abydos, of course, but that was years ago."

**~Jack is correct. Daniel will be fine.~**

"Jolinar says not to worry."

"Good, I won't. But I still wanna hear what that was about the sarc's side effects."

"Jolinar will tell you," Sam says, dipping her head.

* * *

"Okay. Got it. We'll be careful with the damn thing." Jack looks thoughtful. "Maybe we should even blow it up. I'm not sure we want Earth to have one. There's too many politicians and such that is _certain_ to misuse it."

The sarcophagus opens, and with Jack's help, Daniel crawls out and looks around, a bit confused.

"You okay?" Jack asks.

"Yes." Daniel says. "Just... I always feel a bit weird after using one of those."

"No wonder." Jack sighs. "Let's get back to Teal'c and see how he's doing guarding the snakehead."

* * *

"Any problems?" Jack asks.

"None, O'Neill."

" **You will regret keeping me imprisoned, slaves!"** Acan growls.

"What do we do about him?" Daniel asks.

"We bring him. There's no way in hell I'm going to leave behind a Goa'uld with a host that's fairly high in some governmental agency, and connected to who knows who." Jack says.

" **Sensible."** Jolinar says. " **The Tok'ra can remove the Goa'uld."**

"Good. I think. Problem is, I'm not so sure I like the host more." Jack says. "So, Jolinar, you could fly that ship we found, right?"

" **Yes."**

"As can I." Teal'c says.

"Great. Then why don't we go get our stuff before someone shows up missing Maybourne and his men?" Jack suggests.

 


	31. Chapter 31

"I think that's all of it," Daniel says, checking one more time around their campsite to see if they forgot anything important.

"As long as we've got the jewelry, then we're good. I don't think anything else is going to have any value offworld," Sam says.

"I'm bringing some Earth clothes, thank you very much!" Jack says. He turns to Jacob, who has just finished gathering his stuff. "You know, since you're no longer dying, there isn't any reason for you to come. You should stay here on Earth, General."

"Yeah, the Colonel's right, dad. You can stay here - I'm sure your grandchildren would be thrilled."

"If Mark would let me talk to them, you mean!" Jacob snorts. "No, I'm coming with you. Did you think I would miss out on a chance to go to another world?"

Sam smiles. "Okay, dad. As long as you're sure that's what you want to do."

~ **Helicopters approaching!~** Jolinar warns.

"Jolinar just noticed we can hear helicopters approaching!" Sam says hurriedly.

"Crap! That can't be a good sign!" Jack exclaims, looking at the sky. "Grab the rest of the stuff and let's get back to the ship as quickly as possible."

They run as much as they can carrying all the stuff, but the helicopters are landing when they rush in through the entrance.

Not wasting any time, they hurry through the long corridors, and to the room with the ring transporter. Behind them they hear shouts when they dive into the room.

It is a relief when the rings come up around them, and take them down into the underground, and the hangar waiting there.

* * *

"Get the ship ready to lift-of!" Jack shouts at Teal'c when they rush through the hangar, past the gliders and other planetary ships, towards the teltac.

"It is ready." Teal'c tells him.

"Where is Maybourne?" Jack asks, warily.

"Inside. He is conscious, but safely tied up." Teal'c tells him.

Jack nods. "Good. We will deal with him later."

"Will they even know how to operate the transportation rings? The guys following us." Jacob asks. "I mean, it's unlikely they'll have a clue, isn't it?"

"Normally I'd agree, but I saw Lieutenant Jenkins among the people spilling from the helicopter, and he's on SG-5. I'm pretty sure he knows how to operate rings," Jack says, throwing his stuff onboard the teltac.

Jack's words are proven true, when moments later they hear shouts from near the other end of the hangar. Their enemies have made it down with the ring transporter.

Jolinar shuts the door after Jacob, the last one to board the teltac, and races to the pilot's control room.

" **Send the signal to retract the door to the exit tunnel!"**

"I am unsure where it is. The control panels are not exactly like the ones I have used before."

" **It is an old model. Let me."**

Teal'c moves aside and Jolinar slides into the chair. She hits a few buttons, and soon the large door to the exit tunnel is opening near the roof of the hangar.

Jolinar manipulates the controls, and the teltac rises slowly, and turns, before speeding towards the opening ahead. She hits another button, sending the signal to open the door on the surface.

The ship plunges through a short, dark tunnel, and up ahead is a lighted rectangle, quickly growing larger.

"That's going to look weird from the air, when someone looks down on this area!" Jack observes.

" **It is likely camouflaged, but I agree. They will have a hard time concealing that something opened up in the middle of a jungle."** Jolinar sounds faintly amused.

They rise through the air, with the jungle now far below. They all look out through the viewscreens ahead - and suddenly see an airplane.

"They sent the air force after us!" Daniel exclaims.

"No, that's a Boeing 747. It's a passenger plane!" Jacob tells him, amused.

"That's gonna give rise to a UFO report, I think!" Jack laughs, as Jolinar flies close by the plane and turns, swooping past it.

Moments later they are speeding up through the atmosphere and towards space.

* * *

Teal'c is flying the teltac, having gotten used to the minor differences between it and a newer one.

Jack, Daniel, and Sam/Jolinar has been moving their stuff from near the entrance to stacking it on some storage boxes that are on the ship. Maybourne - or rather Acan - is glaring angrily at them whole time, from where he is sitting on the floor, well tied up.

"What do we do about him?" Jack asks.

"Jolinar says the Tok'ra can remove the Goa'uld. Now what we do about _Maybourne_ afterwards... that I don't know," Sam says.

"Well, maybe he'll be good to have as a witness? When - if - we contact Earth and try to go back sometime, I mean." Dnaiel says.

"Of course we're going back! We just need to get Carter and Jolinar to the Tok'ra, and then figure out something."

"Maybe, if the Tok'ra are willing to ally with us, all our troubles will go away?" Daniel says, hopeful. "I mean, the NID can't ask to have any of you sent for experiements when you were host to a Tok'ra. If the Tok'ra are our friends and allies against the Goa'uld, I mean."

"Yeah, I suppose we're hoping for something like that, but I doubt it'll go as easily as all that." Jack sighs and looks at Sam. "Have you and Jolinar decided what you're going to do? I mean, will you remain her host or not?"

"I... have been thinking about it. I haven't made a definite decision yet, but... maybe?" She shrugs, helplessly. "I've been her host so long now that it feels weird that one day I won't be, but on the other hand, can I ever go back to Earth if I do remain her host?"

"I don't know," Jack says, honestly. "Whatever you decide, we'll support you. You know that."

"Yeah, don't worry about that, Sam!" Daniel adds.

She smiles. "I know. You're the best friends anyone can have." She looks towards the pilot room. "I think I'll go see how my dad is doing."

"OK - I'll stay and keep an eye on snakey." Jack says, sitting down against the wall.

Daniel follows Sam out into the pilot room, where Jacob is sitting, part time looking at Teal'c piloting the ship, and part time looking at the view of the stars flying past, distorted, in hyperspace.

"How is it going?" Sam asks.

"I have no problems piloting the vessel," Teal'c says.

"Good. Dad?"

"Just... trying to get a handle on all this. Frankly, it's really weird being out in space, flying through space in a.. spaceship." Jacob shakes his head. "Not that everything that's happened in the last several days isn't weird!" He smiles. "But one good thing has come of it - I'm cured!"

"That's true. Very good." Sam smiles.

"Does Jolinar know how long it will take to get to - wherever we're going?" Daniel asks.

Sam dips her head, giving Jolinar control.

" **We are not flying all the way to my base. It is quite far, and this ship is slower than a new ship. In addition, it is too risky to land a ship on the surface. It might call the wrong kind of attention, should someone see us. No, we will land on the nearest safe world that has a chaapa'ai."**

"Okay, and where is that?" Daniel asks.

" **A planet called Waxos. If we can keep the current speed, we should be there in two days."**

"That's... that's a long time cooped up in here!" Daniel says.

" **We have the supplies, so we will manage."** Jolinar smiles.

As they fall silent, watching the monotonous view, she leans against the back wall. Soon she will be home. But what then?

What about her new friends? Will the Tok'ra want to meet them? Ally with them? Will Earth even want them as their ally?

Will Sam stay her host?!

So many questions, and no answers!

She decides to push it all aside for now. At least they are on their way now. The rest will be solved later. Hopefully.

* * *

A/N: that is the end of the first part. There will be a sequel following our heroes in their further adventures. It will be called 'Looking for Friends'. The first chapter should be up soon, though the rest will follow much slower, as I have some other fics that I have worked on for a long time and that I really want to finish.

Be warned, though; depending on how things work out, there _may_ be some Sam/Jolinar/Martouf/Lantash ship at some point in the sequel.

 


End file.
